Sat, Oct 10, 2026

El Trote De Las Calacas

Elgin, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2024

Entry is $50 now and rises to $55 after Aug 11, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the El Trote De Las Calacas

The course starts outside the Gail Borden Public Library and winds through Elgin. It is a certified route, flat enough that walkers and runners share it comfortably, and the atmosphere around the start line is closer to a street festival than a typical race morning. Day of the Dead is the throughline: expect face paint, costumed performers, and music before you even cross the start.

The post-race scene is the draw for many people. There is a cultural marketplace, dancing catrinas, and food, so the morning does not end when the running does. The race benefits two local nonprofits focused on children, which shapes the crowd: a lot of families, a lot of color, and very little urgency about pace.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

3.1 Miles · 2025 results

860finishers

18:23winner

41:21median

1:11:54cutoff

Top 3: Jorge Calvillo (18:23) · Michael Parzygnat (19:14) · Christina Karbowski (20:15)

The El Trote De Las Calacas has been held every year since at least 2024. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 3.1 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

3.1 Miles10/10/2026 09:00$50

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

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Common Questions About the El Trote De Las Calacas

Will I finish last at the El Trote De Las Calacas?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 41:21, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:11:54, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the El Trote De Las Calacas a good first 3.1 Miles?

With 860 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the El Trote De Las Calacas?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 18:23 while the median finisher took 41:21. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.