Welcome to the inaugural Illinois Marathon! On-Line Registration Now Available Click Here   The Illinois Marathon promises to become one of the country’s premier running events.  How will we do it?  Take a look at just a few of the ways:    1)     Flat, Fast & Fun Course!  From the starting line to the finish line, the Illinois Marathon course will have it all:  The U of I campus, fan-filled residential neighborhoods, breathtaking parks, a revitalized historic downtown and back to the U for a fantastic 50-yard finish line at the awesome Memorial Stadium….all combining to make this a runner’s dream come true!  2)     First Class, Hassle-Free Treatment for our Runners!  We have listened to what you want and will be happy to provide it:  We start by holding all of the marathon events at the University of Illinois, and from there, we focus on things such as (1) the ease of getting to the race, (2) plenty of lodging alternatives, (3) ample parking throughout the weekend, (4) a simplified registration and packet pick-up process, and don’t forget about the port-a-potties.  You have enough to think about during race weekend…..let us make your Illinois Marathon Experience a memorable one!  3)     A Health & Fitness Expo with something for everyone!  The country’s top retail vendors and exhibitors will fill the U of I’s Activities and Recreation Center….one of  largest on-campus recreation facilities in the country!  Add to that, a mouth-watering pasta feed and first rate speaker series, and you have it all right here in the heart of the country!  APRIL 11, 2009  In an ongoing effort to improve our event and our website, The Illinois Marathon has partnered with realbuzz.com to offer our runners a new level of interaction on line.  Our partnership with realbuzz.com provides a host of cool web tools that will increase your ability to share your passion on-line. Blogs, Forums and Route Planners are just a click away