Latest Update

Registration will open on January 7th, 2023! Races will be on Saturday, October 14, 2023 (pending permit approval which doesn't happen until after Jan 1st, 2023; however, we've never been denied since we started). *NEW for 2023* -- A Non-Binary race category with awards for 1st place overall winners in each category.
Last updated: 2023-01-02

Join us on October 14, 2023!

Welcome to the 13th edition of the DPR Trail Half Marathon, Marathon, 50Km, and 50 Mile along the beautiful and fast Des Plaines River Trail in Lake County, Illinois starting and finishing at Half Day Forest Preserve.
The DPR Trail is truly awesome and the color changes are OMG-worthy! You'll run through beautiful alternating lush forests and open wetlands on a very flat, wide, crushed gravel trail, free of roots and rocks. All of the major road crossings are managed by way of bridges or viaducts (with only 4 minor road crossings along the whole 50K/50 Mile course, 2 on the Marathon course, and none for the Half Marathon course).
With expected cool temperatures, flat terrain, and ideal running surface, you'll find this trail to be extremely fast, which is perfect for a personal best, or a Boston Qualifying time. (The Marathon is a Boston Qualifier!) Come out and join us for a great run! πŸ˜ƒ
Half Marathon
#flat-and-fast

Half Marathon

Date:
October 14th @ 9am
Aid Stations:
Swag:
πŸ…Finisher Medals, 🎁 TBD
Packet Pickup:
Unclaimed packets will be at the reg tent on race day.

Kick's off Saturday morning at 9am. Wave starts every 3 minutes, Remember, it's a cupless race.

Marathon
#boston-qualifier, #flat-and-fast

Marathon

Date:
October 14th @ 8am
Aid Stations:
Swag:
πŸ…Finisher Medal, 🎁 TBD
Packet Pickup:
Unclaimed packets will be at the reg tent on race day.

** Boston Qualifier** Kicks off Saturday morning at 8am. Wave starts every 3 minutes. Remember, it's a cupless race.

50 Kilometer
#flat-and-fast, #not-too-long

50 Kilometer

Date:
October 14th @ 7am
Aid Stations:
Swag:
πŸ…Finisher Medal, 🎁 TBD
Packet Pickup:
Unclaimed packets will be at the reg tent on race day.

Kicks off Saturday morning at 7am along with the 50 Milers. Remember, it's a cupless race.

50 Miler
#flat-and-fast, #beautiful-foliage

50 Miler

Date:
October 14th @ 7am
Aid Stations:
Swag:
πŸ…Finisher Medal, 🎁 TBD
Packet Pickup:
Unclaimed packets will be at the reg tent on race day.

Kicks off Saturday morning at 7am. Remember, it's a cupless race.

Volunteer

What makes a race great is the volunteers that help in so many ways. If you are interested in volunteering, we are most grateful. It is the smiling, cheerful faces that help motivate the runners and we realize that it is through pure dedication that you volunteer. So, in advance, we sincerely thank you. If you are interested in volunteering in any of the areas, please click on the following link and register on the UltraSignup site. All volunteers are invited to attend our Volunteer Party (in December, 2023). Food and beverages will be provided along with drawings for prizes.

Race Highlights

Click on each of the highlight cards to view more details
✨ The Des Plaines River Trail is fast & flat and conducive to runner personal bests!
✨ All races are chip timed with results auto-uploaded
✨ We have the most caring volunteers!
✨ We are a cupless race, let's all do our part to help the environment!
✨ All runners will receive a post-race meal!
✨ We give Overall & Age Group Winner Awards
✨ You are guaranteed a t-shirt if you register by August 15, 2023
✨ The race has a "Campy Vibe" to it
✨ Our host hotel, The Extended Stay, is nearby for convenient accommodations
✨ Race Directors are super responsive!
✨ We have a generous number of great aid stations

Race Medals/Buckle

Half Marathon Finisher Medal

The center part spins in 360 degrees

Marathon Finisher Medal

The center part spins in 360 degrees

50K Finisher Medal

The center part spins in 360 degrees

50 Mile Buckle

Interactive Course Map

Course Records

50 Miles
50 Kilometers
Marathon
Half Marathon

Frequently Asked Questions

πŸ‘‰ What are the rules?
πŸ‘‰ Is there race day registration?
πŸ‘‰ Can I transfer my registration to another event?
πŸ‘‰ Can I transfer my registration to someone else?
πŸ‘‰ Can I defer/rollover my registration to next year?
πŸ‘‰ Do you offer refunds?
πŸ‘‰ Where is packet pickup?
πŸ‘‰ When is race day check-in for each event?
πŸ‘‰ What's the course like?
πŸ‘‰ What will be available at the aid station?
πŸ‘‰ Can I have crew available at the race?
πŸ‘‰ Will there be a drop bag allowed?
πŸ‘‰ Where can we park?
πŸ‘‰ Host Hotel - The Extended Stay
πŸ‘‰ Can you provide more information about race results?
πŸ‘‰ What are the award categories?
πŸ‘‰ What's the weather like for this race?
πŸ‘‰ Do you support any charities?
πŸ‘‰ Are pacers allowed?
πŸ‘‰ What is the minimum age limit to run the races?

What Others Are Saying

This is a great trail run. Whether you choose the half marathon or the full 26.2. I had so much fun and all the food at the aid stations was amazing ~ Bob
BEST RACE DIRECTORS EVER! This race is beyond runner friendly, accommodating & well organized. Communication, ability to work around obstacles out of their control & the overall atmosphere they create are fantastic. ~ Larissa
Wonderful, well-planned and friendly race. It's a beautiful, albeit soggy course. It is the best supported race I've ever done. Ed and all the volunteers go the extra mile to make this so fun. ~ Ally

Sponsors

Dick Pond - Park Ridge - Helping with packet pickup
Tailwind Nutrition - Electrolyte sports drink
Ultrarunning Magazine - Get a 25% discount off a subscription. UltraRunning magazine is an invaluable resource for ultrarunners – experienced, new and aspiring endurance athletes seeking to go beyond the marathon
Extended Stay America - The Extended Stay America will again be the preferred sponsor hotel for the race offering our runners a preferred rate. Simply call the hotel at 847-955-1111 CHOOSE OPTION 4 for the front desk and tell them you are with the Des Plaines River Trail Race on October 17th, 2021. Use the corporate code: EAD9U. The other option is to logon to the corporate site that has been set up for our race.  Under WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO, enter VERNON HILLS and scroll down to CHICAGO-VERNON HILLS-LINCOLNSHIRE (675 Woodlands Parkway). The hotel is two-tenths of a mile from the starting line. You can literally walk there from the hotel! If you have any booking questions, ask for Laurenn, the hotel manager. You can also email Laurenn at vrn@extendedstay.com. 

For those of you who choose to stay at the hotel we will again give you the option to have YOUR RACE PACKET WAITING FOR YOU at check in. Just email us at info@runners4wellness to let us know you'd like to do this.
JiMMY Protein Bars - JiMMYBAR!, is a family company with a female co-founder & creator of "Bars With Benefits" meaning high protein-low sugar great tasting bars with Functional ingredients like immune boosting fruit, Collagen, Turmeric, Guarana Caffeine, Keto friendly nuts. In a crowded and popular category, JiMMYBAR! has built a company that is on-trend, fun, innovative and meaningful.
Club Pilates North Buffalo Grove - Club Pilates North Buffalo Grove provides great services to support your general well-being and compliment your DPRT training
Serenity Mountain Foods CBD - Serenity Mountain Foods, LLC was formed in 2020 to bring high quality and healthy CBD products to the growing CBD community. Having become active CBD users themselves as well as strong believers in the wellness benefits of CBD, Drita and Robert found that the vast majority of CBD products available contained unhealthy (and unpronounceable!) ingredients, tasted unpleasant, and contained high amounts of artificial flavorings and colors. Leading active healthy lifestyles and maintaining a complementary healthy and natural dietary regimen, they found that most CBD products available were not compatible with healthy nutritional choices. Thus, Serenity Mountain Foods, LLC was formed to not only offer high quality CBD products to the community, but to ensure that those looking for Simple Ingredients, Great Taste, and nutritional benefits had the perfect place to go. Welcome to Serenity Mountain Foods!
Hansa Coffee Roasters - Hansa Coffee Roasters is a quality-driven roaster and retailer based in Libertyville, IL. We specialize in coffees sourced from small, quality-focused families and cooperatives around the world. We strive to find the best coffees and showcase them in the seasons they are at their freshest. We provide our staff with world-class training in manual brewing, espresso theory, and technical understanding of the coffee industry. Simply put, our goal is to consistently provide you with the best cup of coffee.
Half Day Brewing - Half Day Brewing has the perfect space just for you! Sit in our brewpub and enjoy a cold beer brewed just feet away! Watch your favorite game on one of our many flat screens. Sit at the bar, or any of the surrounding tables. When the weather permits, enjoy a nice breeze from our large open garage doors connecting to the patio. Want to enjoy the sun? Sit at any of our outdoor tables! Sit by one of our outdoor fire pits or up at our outdoor bar! Looking to dine inside? Have a seat at one of our booths or tables, by our large windows or the warm fireplace.
Automotive Keys Group - AKG is a leading remanufacturer and distributor of replacement automotive keyless entry remotes, other key replacements and related equipment.

About

Runners 4 Wellness, LLC was founded in 2013 and founded by trail runners, Brian Gaines and Ed Kelly with the goal of providing each and every runner with a WOW experience at our event. We put on a race that we would want to run ourselves and pay special attention to all the nitty gritty details so you can just focus on your training for the big race day.

Races

Des Plaines River Trail Races - Half Marathon, Marathon, 50Km, and 50 Miler