2027 Starved Rock Country Marathon

Ottawa, Illinois, is a river town of old brick storefronts and low bluffs, and for one weekend each year it belongs to runners. The half marathon starts inside Starved Rock State Park, where sandstone formations and hardwood forest rise above the Illinois River, then turns back toward town through wooded stretches, open country roads and Ottawa's own neighborhoods.

The route is built for a quick morning: USATF certified, paved, essentially flat with a slight net drop, and usually run in mild conditions — recent race days have averaged roughly 49–72°F with very little rain. Aid stations and Gatorade come often, and the marathon sharing the weekend carries the record-eligible certification, so the roads here are honest and quick.

Now in its 12th year, the event draws runners from around 17 states and holds onto about a fifth of them year to year — a loyalty rate that says more than any slogan. The weekend also includes a 10K and 5K, with courses closing on a six-hour clock. It's a central-Illinois institution with a state park at one end and a finish line in town at the other.