About the Starved Rock Country Marathon
The marathon route moves through Ottawa's neighborhoods, traces the Illinois River, and rolls through the wooded terrain around Starved Rock State Park, where natural rock formations rise out of heavily forested stretches. The half starts inside the park and works back through town and along the river. Shorter distances are also on offer, including a stretch that runs right along the riverbank.
Packet pickup is held the evening before at the Ottawa YMCA on Canal Street, where you collect your bib. Aid stations are spread throughout the course, stocked with Gatorade and energy gel at select stops.
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Starved Rock Country Marathon 2026 Results
Going by the 2026 results, this is a decent-sized field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
Half Marathon Results · 2026
373finishers
1:15:26winner
2:17:23median
4:07:17cutoff
Top 3: Lucas Hoffman (1:15:26) · John Thomas Hinchen (1:19:54) · Christian Skaggs (1:22:54)
5K Results · 2026
192finishers
19:42winner
38:54median
1:00:04cutoff
Top 3: Nicholas Finzel (19:42) · Teja Gummadi (19:47) · Jim Gatti (20:22)
10K Results · 2026
132finishers
43:01winner
1:04:33median
2:09:52cutoff
Top 3: Marc Cook (43:01) · Kim Foster (43:32) · Jimmy Nielsen (47:40)
Marathon Results · 2026
125finishers
3:13:32winner
4:36:13median
6:00:37cutoff
Top 3: Jens Conzen (3:13:32) · Sydney Watkins (3:16:55) · Alberto Salas (3:19:24)
The Starved Rock Country Marathon has been held every year since at least 2019. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
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 Oct 25, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
26.2 Miles5/8/2027 07:00$120
26.2 Miles5/8/2027 07:00$110
13.1 Miles5/8/2027 07:30$100
13.1 Miles5/8/2027 07:30$90
6.2 Miles5/8/2027 07:00$60
3.1 Miles5/8/2027 07:00$45
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.
Not sure what to aim for? The marathon pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.
Where to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Ottawa — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
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