The popular running event has announced its annual theme celebrating the participant experience at Race Weekend
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend has announced its 2025 theme: “Tradition & Triumph.” The 2025 theme was chosen by organizers with the goal to capture the elements that inspire participants to toe the line and that carry them to a victorious finish throughout race weekend. Registration for Race Weekend is open for all distances, including the marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, mile, marathon relay, youth run and all eight multi-event challenges.
For the past 11 years, the event has selected an annual theme to highlight areas of pride for the state of Illinois, happenings in the community, pop culture and more. Leading up to the announcement each year, the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend team teases the theme across social media. The theme is also captured in a poster, featuring details that memorialize race weekend and images that call the theme to mind. Around 1,000 copies of the poster will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the health and fitness expo.
“Both in training and on the race course, participants are taking part in countless rites, rituals and stories that are woven into the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend’s identity – ones that stem from the ancient sport of running, the B1G conference, the University of Illinois, the C-U community and the participant’s unique background and experience,” said Jan Seeley, race director of Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend. “As participants cross the finish line, they triumph over figurative and literal obstacles and experience the satisfaction of reaching their goal. As we watched the 2024 race unfold, it became clear that these two concepts should come to the forefront as our 2025 theme.”
The 2025 edition of the race will include both new and continuing traditions.
In anticipation of the race weekend, the event will be launching a new campaign to train staff, volunteers, participants and the community in Hands-Only CPR, a lifesaving skill that will empower their team to create a safe and prepared environment for all participants.
2024 marked the return of the marathon distance for the first time since 2019, growing the participant field and Race Weekend experience. The race also implemented additional inclusive race features that made the event more accessible to Deaf athletes. By working directly with Deaf athletes, race organizers were able to ensure that needs were met for Deaf runners to experience Race Weekend to its full potential. Some of these features include ASL interpreters, volunteer training of basic ASL signing and working with PACE, a local organization dedicated to ensuring the full participation of people with disabilities in all spheres of society. These Race Weekend features are returning for the 2025 event, and are expected to remain a part of the annual event for years to come.
Other notable additions from the 2024 event include the creation and launch of the new non-profit, Kicks for CU Kids, built in partnership with local running store Body n’ Sole Sports. The organization aims to provide free running shoes and socks to youth in need who participate in the 5K or Busey Bank Illinois Youth Run, allowing them to reach their goals confidently during race weekend. In 2024, the organization raised close to $20,000, which included a generous donation of $10,000 from the Village of Savoy.
The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is one of the largest running events in the nation, with nearly 10,000 registrants in 2024. Since its inception, the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend has donated $1.846 million to charities in the community and generated an estimated $5 million in economic impact annually.
For more information about Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend, visit www.IllinoisMarathon.com and follow the event on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend
The Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is an annual running event that takes participants through the scenic streets of Champaign-Urbana & Savoy, Ill. It is one of the 100 largest races in the United States, drawing over 15,000 runners in past years. Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is led by award-winning Race Director Jan Seeley. The event made a triumphant post-pandemic return and remains committed to fostering a happy, healthy community in central Illinois. The 2025 edition will take place on April 24-26, 2025, and will feature a 1-mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, 4-person relay, youth run and multi-event challenges. To learn more about the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend, visit www.IllinoisMarathon.com.
