Experience a Beautiful Autumn Run with the Fox Valley Marathon

Discover the charm of Fox Valley as you race through its picturesque historic communities and chase the finish line!

Set for 7 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, in St. Charles, the Fox Valley Marathon is expected to draw more than 2,700 registrants and their friends and family. Participants are as local as the Chicago area and other regions of Illinois and even national and international, coming from as far as the District of Columbia, Canada and Poland.

“The race is one of the many great events throughout the year that draw people to the Fox Valley and make it such an exciting place to live and work,” said Craig Bixler, Race Director and co-founder of the event. “The many volunteer individuals and groups that help make this event happen enjoy the chance to showcase our hometowns, running trails and parks, the chance to be an active part of the community, to give local charities an event to help them fundraise and to facilitate fundraising to charities, college and high school teams and clubs that help out, giving people a reason to participate themselves or cheer on others and get inspired.”

This year’s Fox Valley Marathon starts and finishes in a new location of downtown St. Charles, moving three blocks south to Mt. St. Mary Park. Runners can opt for the Half Marathon, the Fall Final 20, or the Fox Valley 5K. Established in 2010, these races are a popular choice for those gearing up for major events like the Chicago and Boston marathons.

“The St Charles Park District and cities of St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and the Fox Valley Forest Preserve have been gracious and attentive in helping us navigate construction schedules in downtown and up and down the river this year,” Bixler said. “That has resulted in a course change for all distances, and the new Start/Finish venue with a little more shade and open space for the spectators and runners to spread out and enjoy their in-race and post-race time as they celebrate or cheer on friends and family to the finish line.”

Bixler said the event began with about 1,000 runners, evolving through the years to include a fundraising component to raise money for local charities. Fox Valley’s low stress, friendly atmosphere makes the race an excellent choice for first-time participants. Awards will be given to the oldest finisher in each race, with age group categories topping out at 70-plus, Bixler said. The event’s oldest 5K runner is a 78-year-old woman and the oldest half marathoner is a 75-year-old man, both from Glen Ellyn.

The Fox Valley Marathon is made possible through generous sponsors, including Gerald Subaru of North Aurora. Bixler said he is grateful to have the support of Gerald Subaru of North Aurora, which has been part of the event since 2015.

Donna Lawler from Gerald Subaru of North Aurora expressed enthusiasm about the dealership’s continued involvement with the Fox Valley Marathon through the years.

“This event is fantastic for promoting an active lifestyle while engaging the community,” Lawler said. “We’re thrilled to be a Fox Valley Marathon sponsor each year!”

To learn more about the Fox Valley Marathon, visit www.fv26.com/. To learn more about Gerald Subaru of North Aurora, visit www.geraldsubarunorthaurora.com.