Chicago’s Unique One Hour Race

Every year there are hundreds of races on the Chicago running calendar. When that calendar turns to February, there is only one Miles Per Hour Run. The race is unique to Chicago in many ways including the fact that it is only a one hour race.

Held prior to the opening of the iconic Chicago Auto Show – in 2025 it will be on February 9 – the indoor course uses the show floor and an adjacent exhibition hall at the massive McCormick Place exhibition complex to create a unique experience for competitors.

How It Works: Run, Track, Repeat

The race format is simple: run for an hour and see how far you can go. Timing mats every .25-.3 miles keep track of everyone’s progress. When the air horns sound at the end of the hour, runners are given credit for the last timing mat they crossed. This provides them with their “Miles Per Hour”.

The race is sponsored by Toyota and put on by the Chicago Area Runners Association. CARA is the largest running club in Chicago and hosts 6 events throughout the year. Executive Director of CARA, Tim Bradley, thinks that the race’s format gives runners a different challenge that is a departure from the norm. The unique setting, city of Chicago and one-hour race timing format has proven to be very popular. First time entries will be capped at 750 runners for 2025.

Inside McCormick Place: The Ultimate Venue

“When you are running for a set time instead of a set distance, it’s a different mindset and a whole new way to challenge yourself,” Bradley said. “It’s the idea of running for one hour and finding your MPH. You have a little bit of car theme, and a totally different format, and then to utilize the car show and the McCormick Place space was the idea behind the race.”

It helps that McCormick Place is the largest exhibition facility in North America. Within the venue, the organizers try to set the distance of the loop course at around 2.2 to 2.4 miles.

The Thrill of the Auto Show Course

On the show floor side, the course winds through the different exhibits that showcase the auto manufacturer’s new looks for 2025, as well as portions of the EV test tracks. Leaving the show floor, runners cross the pedestrian bridge that spans across Lake Shore Drive. Participiants will not only get a stunning view of the Chicago skyline, but it also gives the course its only significant elevation change.

Once across the bridge, the runners enter the Lakeside Center portion of the complex. Through the large windows on the east side of the building, runners get a view of Lake Michigan before ducking into the main exhibition area. From that point a serpentine course set out with cones awaits.

After that it’s back across the bridge and into the show floor again. The first 2-plus mile lap of one hour. While it may be warm, and it may be indoors, the course has enough character to make runners have to do some work.

“It’s not a super-easy course,” Bradley said. “Going up and down over the skybridge gives you some challenging hills, and it’s not like running in a circle, you get different turns and different (challenges). The other interesting thing is the auto show floor changes every year, so you never run the same course twice. Each version is different every year.”

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Test Your Limits and Find Your MPH

Despite its challenging course, Bradley believes that the event is perfect for everyone. For runners just getting back into their schedule after the long winter, it’s something on the schedule to look towards and get motivated for.  Runners who have been in the cold and snow will get near perfect conditions to gauge their fitness. This can be extremely beneficial because the Shamrock Shuffle, the biggest race on Chicago’s spring schedule, is just six weeks later.

Another appeal to the event is that it’s more of a personal challenge than a race. There isn’t really a “finish line”, just a clock. With the small loop course, once everyone gets spread out and running different paces, it almost feels like a Sunday run on Chicago’s famous Lakefront Path.

Get Ready for February Fun

“It’s a good way to test yourself and gauge your fitness at that time of year,” Bradley said. “There aren’t a lot of races in January and February, and we are happy to provide one.”

To learn more about Chicago’s unique one hour race, head to Miles Per Hour.

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