Chicago Marathon qualifying times for 2027
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon lists these time qualifier standards for the 2027 race on 10 October 2027. Meet the one for your age on race day and you can apply for a guaranteed entry. Non-binary standards are the same as the women’s.
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 16-34 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:15:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:40:00 | 4:15:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:55:00 | 4:30:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
| 80 and over | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
Only marathon times count, run from 1 January 2025 to 29 October 2026 on a certified course. Guaranteed entries for 2027 can be applied for from 8 to 29 October 2026 only: see the dates and conditions.
This is not the official page. Plates & Pace is not affiliated with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon or its organizers. Standards, dates and rules change, and the organizer’s page decides: Apply on chicagomarathon.com. The figures here were read from it on 6 October 2026.
How it works
The Chicago Marathon fills its field through a drawing and a set of guaranteed entry paths. Time qualifier is one of those paths: run a marathon inside the standard for your division and your age on race day, and you can apply for a place without going through the drawing.
The organizer describes a guaranteed entry as one that ensures you a spot in the field, provided you qualify for it. Its page lists no cut-off beyond the standard itself. What it does set is a deadline. Guaranteed entries are open only during the application window, and the organizer says that runners who post a qualifying time after the window cannot register as time qualifiers.
After you apply, the organizer reviews and verifies the application, which it says can take up to 10 business days, and emails you the result. If it is approved, you pay the entry fee by the deadline. If it is not, you may apply through the drawing instead.
The calculator finds your standard from your division and your age on race day and takes your time away from it to get your margin. It also shows the standards of the age groups next to yours, in case a birthday before race day moves you up.
The formula
margin = standard − your time
0:00 or more meets the standard
for the 2027 race
run the marathon
from 1 January 2025
to 29 October 2026
apply
from 8 a.m. on 8 October 2026
to 2 p.m. on 29 October 2026
pay the entry fee by
11:59 p.m. on 10 November 2026
times are U.S. Central TimeWorked example
A man who will be 42 on 10 October 2027 ran a certified marathon in 2:57:00 in April 2026.
- His group is men 40-44, with a standard of 3:00:00.
- Margin: 3:00:00 − 2:57:00 = 3:00 under the standard. He meets it.
- The race falls inside the qualifying window, 1 January 2025 to 29 October 2026, so the time can be used.
- He applies as a time qualifier during the application window, 8 to 29 October 2026, with his official result, and pays the entry fee by 10 November 2026 once the application is approved.
- To hold 3:00:00 exactly he needs 6:51 per mile or 4:15 per km.
Dates and conditions for a time qualifier entry
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Qualifying window | Marathon run from 1 January 2025 to 29 October 2026 |
| Application opens | Thursday 8 October 2026, 8 a.m. |
| Application closes | Thursday 29 October 2026, 2 p.m. |
| Review | Up to 10 business days, then the result by email |
| Entry fee due | Tuesday 10 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. |
| Race day | Sunday 10 October 2027 |
Times of day are U.S. Central Time.
- The result must show a finish time inside the standard for the division you apply in: men, women or non-binary. A result from another division is not considered.
- Only a full marathon counts. The organizer names the half marathon and the 50K as distances that are not considered.
- The course has to be certified by USA Track & Field, World Athletics or a similar governing body. No allowance is made for uncertified races, weather or course conditions.
- Proof is an official finisher certificate or the official results page.
- Your age is taken on race day, 10 October 2027. Runners must be 16 or older on race day.
- No exceptions are made for times that narrowly miss, for other distances or for races outside the window.
- The entry fee for 2027 is $250 for U.S. residents and $260 for everyone else, plus a processing fee.
Faster times: the High Performance Program
The organizer has a second time-based path with faster standards, a field of 300 runners and a reduced entry fee. Each time below has to be beaten, not matched. Masters runners are 40 and over and must have run the time as a masters runner.
| Division | Open | Masters |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 2:25:00 | 2:35:00 |
| Women | 2:45:00 | 2:50:00 |
| Non-binary | 2:45:00 | 2:50:00 |
The marathon must have been run on or after 1 January 2025 on a certified course. Registration closes on 1 September 2027, or sooner if all 300 places are taken.
The pace each standard takes
The pace to hold for each standard, rounded down to the second so that holding it finishes inside the time. Non-binary runners use the women’s table.
| Age | Standard | Mile | Km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-34 | 2:50:00 | 6:29 | 4:01 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 6:40 | 4:08 |
| 40-44 | 3:00:00 | 6:51 | 4:15 |
| 45-49 | 3:10:00 | 7:14 | 4:30 |
| 50-54 | 3:15:00 | 7:26 | 4:37 |
| 55-59 | 3:25:00 | 7:49 | 4:51 |
| 60-64 | 3:40:00 | 8:23 | 5:12 |
| 65-69 | 3:55:00 | 8:57 | 5:34 |
| 70-74 | 4:15:00 | 9:43 | 6:02 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 10:17 | 6:23 |
| 80+ | 4:50:00 | 11:03 | 6:52 |
| Age | Standard | Mile | Km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-34 | 3:20:00 | 7:37 | 4:44 |
| 35-39 | 3:25:00 | 7:49 | 4:51 |
| 40-44 | 3:30:00 | 8:00 | 4:58 |
| 45-49 | 3:40:00 | 8:23 | 5:12 |
| 50-54 | 3:50:00 | 8:46 | 5:27 |
| 55-59 | 3:55:00 | 8:57 | 5:34 |
| 60-64 | 4:15:00 | 9:43 | 6:02 |
| 65-69 | 4:30:00 | 10:17 | 6:23 |
| 70-74 | 4:45:00 | 10:52 | 6:45 |
| 75-79 | 5:00:00 | 11:26 | 7:06 |
| 80+ | 5:20:00 | 12:12 | 7:35 |
Some of these standards are also the goal of one of our pace pages, which add the split for every mile, a negative-split plan and training paces: Sub-3 Hour Marathon Pace (men aged 40-44); 3:15 Marathon Pace (men aged 50-54); 3:20 Marathon Pace (women and non-binary runners aged 16-34); 3:25 Marathon Pace (women and non-binary runners aged 35-39 and men aged 55-59); 3:30 Marathon Pace (women and non-binary runners aged 40-44); 4:30 Marathon Pace (women and non-binary runners aged 65-69 and men aged 75-79); 5 Hour Marathon Pace (women and non-binary runners aged 75-79).
New York, Chicago and Boston side by side
Marathon standards for the 2027 New York City Marathon, the 2027 Chicago Marathon and the 2027 and 2028 Boston Marathons. All three go by your age on race day and use the same age groups. The youngest group starts at 18 in New York and Boston and at 16 in Chicago.
| Age | NYC | Chicago | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 34 | 2:53:00 | 2:50:00 | 2:55:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 2:55:00 | 3:00:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:58:00 | 3:00:00 | 3:05:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:05:00 | 3:10:00 | 3:15:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:14:00 | 3:15:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:23:00 | 3:25:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 3:40:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:45:00 | 3:55:00 | 4:05:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:10:00 | 4:15:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 4:30:00 | 4:35:00 |
| 80+ | 4:55:00 | 4:50:00 | 4:50:00 |
| Age | NYC | Chicago | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 34 | 3:13:00 | 3:20:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:15:00 | 3:25:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:26:00 | 3:30:00 | 3:35:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:38:00 | 3:40:00 | 3:45:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:51:00 | 3:50:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 4:10:00 | 3:55:00 | 4:00:00 |
| 60-64 | 4:27:00 | 4:15:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:50:00 | 4:30:00 | 4:35:00 |
| 70-74 | 5:30:00 | 4:45:00 | 4:50:00 |
| 75-79 | 6:00:00 | 5:00:00 | 5:05:00 |
| 80+ | 6:35:00 | 5:20:00 | 5:20:00 |
For men aged 40-44, for example, the standard is 2:58:00 in New York, 3:00:00 in Chicago and 3:05:00 in Boston. What the time gets you is not the same at the three races:
- Chicago. A guaranteed entry, as long as you apply inside the application window: 8 to 29 October 2026 for the 2027 race.
- New York. A guaranteed entry if the time was run at one of the five New York Road Runners races that count. From any other marathon, a place only if you are among the fastest applicants: for the 2026 race that took 22:52 under the standard. See the NYC Marathon qualifying times.
- Boston. A place if you are under your standard by at least the cut-off, which was 5:17 for the 2027 race. For that race the B.A.A. also added a random selection among the qualifiers who missed the cut-off. The Boston qualifier calculator checks a time against the cut-offs.
If one of these times is your goal, the marathon pace chart gives the pace per mile and per km for every finish time.
Other ways into the race
The drawing. Anyone without a guaranteed entry can apply to the drawing during the same window, 8 to 29 October 2026. It is free to apply, and applying more than once does not help: duplicates are removed. Applicants hear by email on 8 December 2026, and those selected pay the entry fee by 15 December 2026.
Legacy finisher. Runners who have finished the Chicago Marathon five or more times within the last 10 years can claim a guaranteed entry. Finishes before 2016 are not counted.
Charity. Running and fundraising for an official event charity guarantees a place. Each runner has to raise at least $2,500. Charity entries stay open until 10 September 2027, or until the charity is full.
The organizer’s Apply page lists the rest: official tour operators, runners who finished all three 2026 Chicago Distance Series events, runners who cancelled their 2026 entry under the event’s policies, and the Para Athletics Program.
What the organizer’s pages leave open
- Two pages, two years. The Apply page describes the 2027 application. The Event FAQs page, last updated on 23 July 2026, still described the 2026 one when we read it: a qualifying window of 1 January 2024 to 18 November 2025 and applications from 21 October to 18 November 2025. This page uses the Apply page.
- The year of the application dates. The Apply page gives them as Thursday, 8 October and Thursday, 29 October with no year. The organizer’s announcement of 15 September 2026 gives the same dates and the qualifying window ends on 29 October 2026, so the year is 2026.
- Chip time or gun time. The Apply page does not say which is used. If your two times fall on different sides of your standard, ask the event office before you rely on the faster one.
- Later races. No standards for a race after 2027 had been published. The organizer says applicants can expect the non-binary standards to adjust in the coming years.
Questions
What are the Chicago Marathon qualifying times for 2027?
For men, by age on race day: 16-34 2:50:00; 35-39 2:55:00; 40-44 3:00:00; 45-49 3:10:00; 50-54 3:15:00; 55-59 3:25:00; 60-64 3:40:00; 65-69 3:55:00; 70-74 4:15:00; 75-79 4:30:00; 80 and over 4:50:00. For women and non-binary runners: 16-34 3:20:00; 35-39 3:25:00; 40-44 3:30:00; 45-49 3:40:00; 50-54 3:50:00; 55-59 3:55:00; 60-64 4:15:00; 65-69 4:30:00; 70-74 4:45:00; 75-79 5:00:00; 80 and over 5:20:00.
Is entry guaranteed if I meet the Chicago Marathon qualifying time?
Yes, as the organizer describes it: a guaranteed entry ensures you a spot in the field, provided you qualify for it. You still have to apply inside the application window, 8 to 29 October 2026 for the 2027 race, have your result verified and pay the entry fee by 10 November 2026.
When can I apply as a time qualifier for the 2027 Chicago Marathon?
From 8 a.m. on 8 October 2026 to 2 p.m. on 29 October 2026, U.S. Central Time. Guaranteed entries are open only during that window, and the organizer says runners who post a qualifying time after it cannot register as time qualifiers.
When do I have to run my qualifying marathon?
From 1 January 2025 to 29 October 2026, for the 2027 race. The organizer makes no exceptions for times run before or after that window. By the dates, the 2026 Chicago Marathon on 11 October 2026 falls inside it: the window runs to 29 October 2026, the day applications close.
Does a half marathon time count for the Chicago Marathon?
No. Only full marathon times are considered. The organizer names the half marathon and the 50K as distances that do not count.
Are Chicago Marathon qualifying times harder than Boston’s?
Against Boston’s standards for 2027 and 2028, Chicago’s are faster in 10 and the same in 1 of the 11 men’s age groups, and faster in 9 and the same in 2 of the women’s. Men aged 40-44 need 3:00:00 in Chicago and 3:05:00 in Boston. The two races also treat a qualifier differently: Chicago guarantees a place to a qualifier who applies inside the window, and Boston accepts qualifiers fastest first until its field is full (the cut-off for 2027 was 5:17). The Boston qualifier calculator has the Boston side.
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Sources
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Apply. Time qualifier standards for the 2027 race, the qualifying window, the application window, the payment deadline, the conditions and the other entry paths. Read on 6 October 2026.
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Bank of America Chicago Distance Series Details Ways to Secure Entry into the 2027 Chicago Marathon, Chicago 13.1 and Shamrock Shuffle. 15 September 2026. The application window for the 2027 race in an announcement dated 2026, the entry fees and the race date. Read on 6 October 2026.
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Event FAQs. Date of the 2026 race and the application for it. On the day it was read this page still described the 2026 application. Read on 6 October 2026.
- New York Road Runners. Marathon Time Qualifiers. Standards for the 2027 race by age and gender, the qualifying window, the NYRR races that count, the rules for other marathons and the gender category rules. Read on 6 October 2026.
- New York Road Runners. New York Road Runners Sets Record with 240,000+ Applications for 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Drawing. 4 March 2026. Share of non-NYRR time qualifiers accepted for the 2026 race and the margin they needed. Drawing applications and acceptance rate. Date of the 2026 race. Read on 6 October 2026.
- Boston Athletic Association. Qualify for the Boston Marathon. Boston qualifying standards by age and the cut-off for each year. Source of the Boston column in the comparison. Read on 6 October 2026.
- Boston Athletic Association. Registration Updates and Information Announced for 2027 Boston Marathon. 22 July 2026. The 2028 Boston standards are the same as those for 2027. A random selection among qualifiers who miss the cut-off, new for 2027. Read on 6 October 2026.