The 2024 Starved Rock Country Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, May 11th, 2024. The Half Marathon course is a point-to-point route starting in Starved Rock State Park, continuing along wooded sites and scenery along the Illinois River, and finishing in historic downtown Ottawa. Each runner will receive a participant shirt and finishers receive a race-specific medal.

The Run Starved Rock 5K Presented by Starved Rock Technologies will start and end at the same lines as the marathon, and follow part of the Half Marathon route before heading back to Ottawa for a finish along the river. A portion of this event will benefit local charities and events to promote running and physical activity.

Find minute-to-minute updates and great photos of previous races on our Facebook page.

Race Weekend: Saturday, May 11th, 2024

  • Details on transportation times, packet pickup, expo, and finish line to follow.

race results

Race results will be posted at the finish line area.  Official times will be available within 48 hours on our website.

rules/regulations

We hope that this is a race you will want to come back to year after year.  To help make your experience go as smoothly as possible, please read and become familiar with the race rules and regulations.  All rules have been established to protect the safety of our participants and keep us in good standing with our governing body, the USATF.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in helping everyone to enjoy race day. 

Marathon and Half Marathon Rules

  • Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

  • Race day registration is NOT available.

  • No-shows will not be mailed their race shirts or bags.

  • Marathon runners must complete the course in 6.5 hours.

  • Half Marathon runners must complete the course in 4 hours.

  • Headphones ARE now permitted on the course due to the revised legislation passed by the USATF, but discouraged for safety reasons.

  • No wheeled vehicles are allowed on the course at any time. Baby Joggers, strollers, roller/in-line skates, bicycles etc. are prohibited.

  • Participants must stay on the official course at all times. It is the responsibility of each participant to know the course. Participants who leave the course will be disqualified. Please see the course map to learn the course before race day.

  • Only participants wearing the provided timing chip/tag on their bib will be timed and included in the final race results for the scored events.

  • Only registered participants may be on the course during the event. Spectators are asked to remain on the sidewalk or road shoulders. Please do not cut across the course.

  • The decisions of the race director are final in all matters.

  • Walker etiquette: Runners will approach walkers quickly. Please be courteous; move over to the sides of the roads when runners approach and let them have the right of way and quickest way past.

  • Age recommendations for the Marathon - at least 18 years old; Half Marathon - at least 14 years old (Based on regulations by IMMDA) For further information and background, see: IMMDA Advisory Statement on Children and Marathoning.

  • PED/Drug Testing: Run Starved Rock Country promotes a drug-free race environment to protect the health of athletes and to preserve fair competition. The RunSRC Race Committee reserves the right to drug test overall winners, and top finishers, for Performance Enhancing Drugs following completion of our marathon. Drug-test samples may be collected and processed by an independent certified collection agency. The samples are collected and analyzed under a published protocol using certified laboratories.

Run Starved Rock Country 5k rules

  • Open to all ages 10 yrs and older.

  • Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

  • Race day registration is NOT available.

  • No-shows will not be mailed their race shirts or bags.

  • Headphones ARE now permitted on the course due to the revised legislation passed by the USATF, but discouraged for safety reasons.

  • No wheeled vehicles are allowed on the course at any time.

  • This is a family-friendly fun run and as such, baby joggers/jogging strollers are permitted.

  • Participants must stay on the official course at all times. It is the responsibility of each participant to know the course. Participants who leave the course will be disqualified. Please see the course map to learn the course before race day.

  • Only participants wearing the provided timing chip/tag on their bib will be timed and included in the final race results for the scored events.

  • Only registered participants may be on the course during the event. Spectators are asked to remain on the sidewalk or road shoulders. Please do not cut across the course.

  • The decisions of the race director are final in all matters.

  • Walker etiquette: Runners will approach walkers quickly. Please be courteous; move over to the sides of the roads when runners approach and let them have the right of way and quickest way past.