F^3 Lake Half Marathon

F^3 Lake Half Marathon is Chicago's first winter half marathon of the year and is held on January 30, 2027. The half marathon (13.1 miles) starts at 10:01 a.m. and the 5K at 10:29 a.m., with runners gathering in the United Club at Soldier Field before heading out onto the lakefront course. The half uses an open start while the 5K goes off at a set time. Entry includes a hoodie and a medal, participant photos are posted online for free, and the post race party is held at Weathermark Tavern.

Thousands enter each year, most of them either building toward a spring marathon or simply keeping their fitness honest through the winter. Used that way, the race works better as a controlled effort at marathon pace than as a flat out 13.1. If you do want to race it, twelve weeks of steady mileage with a weekly long run is enough, and the late morning start gives you time to eat and warm up without rushing.