New Year's Run 5K/10K/13.1 CHICAGO/EVANSTON

New Year's Run 5K/10K/13.1 CHICAGO/EVANSTON is held in Chicago, Illinois, on December 26, 2026, with the half marathon (13.1 miles), the 10K, the 5K and a one-mile family fun run all starting at 7:30 a.m. The event is aimed at runners who want a challenge and company in the same morning: you pick the distance, hold your own pace among a motivated field, and follow your timed result through the app you already use. Entry includes a technical race shirt, a finisher medal and a digital training pack.

The pull here is the calendar as much as the distances. Running on December 26 sets the tone for the block that follows, and the local running clubs on hand make it a useful place to find people to train with in January. If the half is the goal, twelve weeks with a weekly long run is the preparation; if you are between blocks, the 10K makes the point without the recovery. The one-mile run gives the rest of the family a start line.