Race organizers for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon weekend announced that its scheduled April 29-May 1 date has been cancelled and they hope to conduct the race in the fall.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the 2020 event to be cancelled completely, has claimed another event casualty. This time, organizers said, they have a “window” of Sept. 9-11, 2021, based on University of Illinois and Division of Intercollegiate Athletics calendars.
“What that event will ‘look’ like, we don’t know at this point in time,” organizers Jan Seeley and Mike Lindemann wrote in a release, “but we will explore all available options, taking into consideration all factors. We are excited for this opportunity to expand our race offering and look forward to sharing more information soon,” adding they expect to provide another update no later than April 1.
The Chicago Marathon is scheduled for Oct. 10.
The Illinois Marathon and accompanying races have become a Champaign-Urbana staple every April. Last run in 2019, it typically features a 5K, a wheelchair half, a 10K, a full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay and kids run, along with other activities and entertainment.