28,000 Chicago Area Runners Get Ready to Take Part in the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Tradition
CHICAGO – The start of Chicago’s spring running season will begin on Sunday, March 22 when the 45th running of the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle kicks off at 8:30 a.m. in Grant Park. The classic road race and annual tradition joins the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with a fun and festive 8K Run and 2-Mile Walk through the heart of downtown.
Top local, regional and national USATF-member racing teams are set to headline the event and compete in the 16th annual Deloitte Elite Club Competition. This year’s competition features more than 80 teams vying for the championship title and a $30,000 prize purse.
The field includes a strong mix of returning podium finishers and internationally recognized distance runners. Defending men’s champion Gable Sieperda of the Iowa-based Fitness Sports Distance Project leads the way returning to face Shuaib Aljabaly of the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project and Curtis Eckstein of the Working Man’s Track Club, both of whom he outsprinted at the finish line in 2025. On the women’s side, last year’s runner-up Claire Green of the Peninsula Distance Club returns alongside fellow top finishers Anne-Marie Blaney of the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project and Rachael Rudel of Front Range Elite.
Top professional distance runners making their Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle debut include Olympians Karissa Schweizer, Courtney Frerichs, Mohammed Ahmed and American distance runners Emma Grace Hurley and Thomas Ratcliffe. Click here to view the 2026 Deloitte Elite Club Competition roster.
Shuffling in the footsteps of the elite clubs at the front of the field will be more than 28,000 Chicago-area runners.
In addition to the festivities on Sunday, the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle will host a one-mile event on Saturday, March 21 in Grant Park. The Mile will highlight Chicago’s diverse running community, welcoming everyone from the next generation of Shufflers to competitive local athletes.
A two-day Packet Pick-up will take place on Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21 at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. Packet Pick-up is free and open to the public.
For ease and to assist in the race’s sustainable efforts, runners and spectators are encouraged to take public transportation throughout race weekend. For more information on public transportation click here and to view race day street closures visit shamrockshuffle.com/streetclosures.
Download the race notes for additional information about the 2026 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle.
WHAT: Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
WHERE: Grant Park – Start line at Columbus & Monroe
WHEN: Sunday, March 22
8:30 a.m.: 8K Run Wave 1 Start
9:00 a.m.: 8K Run Wave 2 Start
9:30 a.m.: 2-Mile Walk Start
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Post-Race Party at Buckingham Fountain featuring live music presented by Advocate Health Care
HOW: Media members are invited to attend all events associated with the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle. To request media credentials or TV truck parking placards, please contact the media relations team at press@shamrockshuffle.com. Credentials provide access to a start line media riser.
About the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
Long recognized as an annual rite of spring, a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and the kickoff to the outdoor running season in Chicago, the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle treats runners to a scenic 8K Run through downtown Chicago and 2-Mile Walk along Chicago’s lakefront. The 8K Run will kick off at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 2-Mile Walk at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 23. Following the race runners can enjoy live music at the Post-Race Party in Grant Park. For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to shamrockshuffle.com.
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