The Battle for the Windy City

Presented by Fleet Feet Chicago

On January 1, the battle for the throne in Chicago will kick off, with the first of four head-to-head rounds playing out on the streets and segments of the City. Each week your task shall be simple – outrun your opponent by besting their time on the segment of our choosing. Each week the segments will grow more daunting and the competition more fierce, but for those who endure, unparalleled glory (and a $250 gift card) awaits.

2024 Chicago Segments

  • Distance: 2.88 Miles

    Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/routes/3159268698177097406

    Description: Runners will start/finish by the Chicago Hot Dog Concession stand and proceed to go North along the Lakefront Trail closest to the waterfront. You will continue northbound along the same path until you reach the Monument of the Millenium Marker by the Chicago Riverfront where you will complete a hairpin turn around the 3 flag poles and proceed southbound along the same path to the start.

  • Distance: 1.17 Miles

    Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/routes/3159286154062495390

    Description: Runners will start next to the water fountain found slightly north from the outdoor sculpture, A Signal of Peace. You will proceed north along the Lakefront Trail, staying right to stay on the pedestrian path. You will run all the way up, along the Belmont Harbor, and finish by the north end of the harbor, where the path splits which will be your finish line.

  • Distance: 5 Miles

    Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/routes/3157372636040346758

    Description: Runners will start/finish on the Bloomingdale Trail at the top of the Western Trailhead Garden entrance. You will start the run by heading eastbound on the path until you reach the trail entrance between North Wood Street and North Hermitage Ave about 2.5 miles away. Once you reach the exit ramp, complete a hairpin turn to return westbound along the same path until you reach where you started to finish.

  • Distance: 1.45 miles

    Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/7679269

    Description: Runners will start/finish at the same spot on the Bridle Path about equidistant from the Washington Park Tennis Courts and the parking lot. You will complete a full clockwise Bridle path loop, without making any turns along the way, finishing where you started.

FAQs

How Do I Record and Submit My Run?

All runs must be recorded with a GPS watch or phone and synced via Strava or Garmin. All runs must be recorded on “Race” mode or must show elapsed time (as opposed to moving time) and then emailed to run@trialsofmilesracing.com. Our team will verify all results to ensure accuracy.

Can I Run the Segment Multiple Times?

During the competition window you are free to run the segment as many times as you choose. We will not consider the time “FINAL” until you have emailed it to run@trialsofmilesracing.com or you indicate to us that it is a final/submitted time. Please keep in mind that once you email us your time, that time is final and we can (and likely will) publicize that time. If you think you may attempt the segment again later in the week, do not submit!

Can I Run the Segment with a Friend or a Pacer?

Competitors are free to run their segments alone, in groups, or with a pack of pacers. As long as you complete the segment on your own two feet, within the required time period it will count.

What Happens if My GPS Data Gets Messed Up? How Do You Prevent Cheating?

Virtual racing is not perfect. People's data is going to get screwed up and times are going to be slightly off. We've done this enough times to know how to deal with these issues and keep things fair. Rest assured, these fields are incredibly deep and nobody is going to be able to game their way to victory. Throughout the competition our team will also make whatever tweaks are necessary to ensure the integrity of the competition.

How Do You Make the Brackets?

There is no seeding in this competition and placement in the brackets is done using an online randomizer. As a result there is quite a bit of luck in terms of how far you can go in this competition. Please also keep in mind that most people aren't super fit in January and a lot of people plan to use these segments as workouts. Even if you're going against someone significantly faster than you, if you run hard you might be surprised by the result. Strange things happen in these races!

What are the Prizes?

The overall male and female winners of the race will each take home a $250 Gift Card from Fleet Feet. We expect to have some additional prizes for winners of the first two rounds. We will update this page when we have that information.

Chicago Chase the Throne