Sat, Mar 27, 2027

Rend Lake Marathon

Benton, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

MarathonHalf Marathon6.55 Miles

About the Rend Lake Marathon

The course runs along paved bike paths and country roads around Rend Lake, passing a beach, a marina, a visitors center, and a spillway before winding through countryside that takes in two smaller lakes. There is genuine rolling terrain out on the country road sections. The finish is at a lakeside beach, and the USATF certification means it qualifies for Boston.

Packet pickup the evening before is at a golf course restaurant a short drive away. On race morning, everyone parks at the finish-line beach. Marathon and half-marathon runners board buses to their respective start lines, while quarter-marathon runners start and finish at the same beach.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Benton on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

13.1 Miles · 2026 results

119finishers

1:26:14winner

2:15:21median

3:54:21cutoff

Top 3: Eric Wehmueller (1:26:14) · Jake Adams (1:35:14) · Ryan Casey (1:35:40)

26.2 Miles · 2026 results

90finishers

2:41:18winner

4:40:37median

7:29:24cutoff

Top 3: Tucker Seise (2:41:18) · Mike Uhlig (2:48:39) · Cannon Lomax (3:11:51)

6.55 Miles · 2026 results

55finishers

49:15winner

1:13:47median

1:57:44cutoff

Top 3: Dustin Miller (49:15) · Bethany Jenkins (49:41) · Marcy Ambler (51:28)

The Rend Lake Marathon has been held every year since at least 2022. 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 13.1 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

26.2 Miles3/27/2027 08:30$100

13.1 Miles3/27/2027 09:30$70

6.55 Miles3/27/2027 09:30$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Benton — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Rend Lake Marathon

Will I finish last at the Rend Lake Marathon?

Almost certainly not. Half the 13.1 Miles field finished slower than 2:15:21, and the last recorded finisher came in around 3:54:21, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Rend Lake Marathon a good first 13.1 Miles?

It is a small race (119 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 13.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Rend Lake Marathon?

The 13.1 Miles winner ran 1:26:14 while the median finisher took 2:15:21. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.