Your Personal MARINE CORPS MARATHON Weather Forecast LEARN MORE...

Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers for 2026

Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers

It's here! Our annual list of the year's
best marathons to help you qualify for the Boston Marathon.

2026 IS HERE!


Marathon Pace Bands

Marathon Pace Bands

Run the Right Pace in Your Next Marathon

Nearly 500 marathon courses.
Ships same or Next Day


Des Plaines River Trail Marathon

Lincolnshire, IL
Saturday, October 10, 2026


No reviews yet


Course Description
The Des Plaines River Trail Marathon offers a distinctive trail running experience, renowned for its remarkably flat and fast terrain, making it an excellent choice for a Boston Marathon qualifier on a non-traditional surface. The course runs along the scenic Des Plaines River Trail in Lake County, Illinois, showcasing a beautiful, natural environment that alternates between lush forests and open wetlands. The running surface is primarily a wide, crushed limestone or gravel track, which is well-maintained and largely free of challenging rocks or tree roots, combining the softness of a trail with the stability of a road.

The marathon follows an out-and-back format along the northern segment of the trail system, starting and finishing at the Half Day Forest Preserve. The elevation profile is minimal, ensuring an ideal path for runners chasing a personal best. A key feature of the design is that nearly all major road crossings are safely managed by way of bridges or viaducts, minimizing interruptions to the running flow. While the course is fast, it is a true trail race run alongside a river, so runners should be prepared for the possibility of minor water on the course, especially after heavy rains.

October Other Marathons in October Other Marathons in Illinois Marathons near Lincolnshire, IL



Marathon Pace Bands

Want to run your best Des Plaines River Trail Marathon?

Don't waste months of training only to run the wrong pace.


Des Plaines River Trail Marathon Pace Bands are adjusted for the specific terrain of the course, your goal time and pacing strategies.



Only $9.99




Race Information

Race Dates

2027: TBD
2026: Saturday, October 10, 2026

Course Information

Profile: Mostly Flat
Type: Out and Back
Surface: Trail

Boston Qualifier?: Yes
World Marathon Major Qualifier?: No

Race Day Weather

Mean Temp.: 51°F (10°C)
Average High: 61°F (16°C)
Average Low: 42° F (5°C)




PR Score & Course Score

PR Score: 98.99
Course Score: 98.99

Race Size

2026: 204 Finishers
2025: 232 Finishers
2024: 225 Finishers
2023: 205 Finishers
2022: 216 Finishers
2021: 206 Finishers

BQ Percentages

2026: 0.5%
2025: 2.6%
2024: 1.8%
2023: 3.4%
2022: 2.3%
2021: 2.4%

Miscellaneous Information

Pace Groups?: No

Weather Averages for Last 8 Years


Race Day Temperatures

High: 62°F  (17°C)
Low: 46°F  (8°C)

Race Start Conditions

50°F  (10°C)
Humidity: 79%

Clear
S 10 mph

PR Score

97.94

Course Score

98.99






Des Plaines River Trail Marathon Rankings, Course Speed & Boston Qualifier Statistics

The Des Plaines River Trail Marathon was the 240th largest marathon in the U.S. in 2025 based on the number of finishers. In 2024, it ranked as the 223rd largest marathon in the U.S..

In 2026, 0.5% of Des Plaines River Trail Marathon finishers have achieved Boston Marathon qualifying times. In 2025, 2.6% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Based on its percentage of Boston Qualifiers (BQs), the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon ranked 384th among marathons in the U.S. in 2025 and currently ranks 332nd so far in 2026. In Illinois, it ranked 12th in 2025 and 10th so far in 2026. These rankings provide a useful benchmark for comparing the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon with other Boston Marathon qualifying races.

The Des Plaines River Trail Marathon has a Course Score of 98.99, ranking it as the 222nd fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 7th fastest marathon course in Illinois.

Typical race-time temperature and humidity levels are within the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. Combined with the course profile, this gives the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon a PR Score of 98.99. The PR Score ranks the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon as the 164th best marathon in the U.S. for running a Personal Record (PR) and the 6th best marathon for a PR in Illinois.

Together, these rankings provide a quick snapshot of how the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon compares with other marathons in the U.S. and Illinois for speed, PR potential, Boston Marathon qualifying success, and overall participation.

Des Plaines River Trail Marathon Marathon Rankings Summary
Course Speed222nd fastest marathon course in the U.S.
Ranked 7th fastest marathon course in Illinois
Top 48% Nationally#7 of 10 in Illinois
PR Potential164th best marathon for a Personal Record in the U.S.
Ranked 6th best marathon for a PR in Illinois
Top 36% Nationally#6 of 10 in Illinois
Boston Qualifier Rate384th highest BQ percentage in the U.S.
Ranked 12th highest BQ percentage in Illinois
Based on 2025 Boston Marathon qualifying results
Top 81% Nationally#12 of 13 in Illinois
Race Size240th largest marathon in the U.S.
Ranked 7th largest marathon in Illinois
Based on 2025 results
Top 41% Nationally#7 of 13 in Illinois

Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.



Elevation Chart


Max Elevation: 722 feet (220m)
Min Elevation: 640 feet (195m)

Elevation Gain: 473 feet (144m)
Elevation Loss: 472 feet (143m)


Des

Course updated 09/26/2026




Hotel & VRBO Accommodations for the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon

View available accomodations around the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon Finish Line and Course. Book your Reservation now before the best places are sold out.

For a better mobile or desktop experience:






Compare the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon to other Marathons

Use tools below to compare races and convert times across courses.

Do you want to see how the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon stacks up against other marathons?

Compare the details of the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon side-by-side with other marathons with our Comparison Tool.


Comparison Tool

If you ran the Des Plaines River Trail Marathon in 4:48:00, what would your time in other marathons be?

See how your finish time would compare on other marathon courses with our Time Conversion Tool.


Time Converter Tool

Race Reviews


There are no reviews for **Des Plaines River Trail Marathon** yet.
Be the first to share your experience!
Write Your Own Review