Chicago Marathon 2027 – Coming this fall!
Thank you for your unwavering support during the 2026 Chicago Marathon! While registration for the 2026 event has closed, the excitement and spirit live on. We’re already looking ahead to 2027 and can’t wait for another incredible race. Check back in the fall for updates on how you can be part of the journey. In the meantime, you can still support our runners by making a donation!
2026 REGISTRATION HAS ENDED. CHECK BACK THIS FALL FOR 2027 INFORMATION.
Miles of Purpose
The countdown to the 2026 Chicago Marathon is on. This year, 74 amazing runners are expected to represent Ignite the Spirit, each bringing their own story, motivation and reason for taking on 26.2 miles.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll spotlight runners from Team Ignite the Spirit and share their stories, motivations and personal reasons for choosing to run with the team.
Follow along as we count down to race day and celebrate the incredible individuals representing Ignite the Spirit every step of the way.
Jessica McQuade
Florida
I’ve been running since college, and it’s always been a sport and a hobby that I genuinely love. After losing my dad to lung cancer in 2016, though, I started looking at running differently. Charity running became a way for me to take something I already loved and make it about something bigger than myself, a way to give back, honor the people who matter to me, and make all those miles mean a little more.
Running Chicago for Ignite the Spirit feels especially personal. My husband, Nate, has been a firefighter for over 20 years, so the fire service has been a huge part of our lives together. Supporting an organization that gives back to firefighters and their families while getting to run one of the greatest marathons in the world feels like the perfect combination. I’m incredibly excited and proud to represent Team Ignite the Spirit in Chicago this year.
Julie Henneberry
I choose to run for the Ignite the Spirit Fund because it helps firefighters and their families when they need a helping hand. I have seen this firsthand.
To me, Ignite the Spirit is a full-circle organization. It was founded in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when Chicago firefighters traveled to New York to help at the pile at Ground Zero. Inspired by that experience, those firefighters created an organization to help members of their department back home. With a sense of patriotism and duty, they started the Ignite the Spirit Fund.
My name is Julie Henneberry, and the events of September 11, 2001, have had—and continue to have—a ripple effect on my life. I am the daughter of Lt. Peter Louis Freund, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to the North Tower of the World Trade Center that Tuesday morning 25 years ago.
Out of the ashes of the World Trade Center came the seed of the idea for Ignite the Spirit. For me, those ashes represent a lifetime of grief.
In 2020, Ignite the Spirit Milwaukee stepped in to help when I needed it most. Modeled after its sister organization in Chicago, the Milwaukee organization helped me seek therapy when I was struggling postpartum. I attributed many of my struggles to unresolved trauma from September 11, 2001.
am honored and thankful to be in a place where I can give back to this organization by fundraising for the Chicago Marathon. Ignite the Spirit is there not only for members of its own department but also for the families of those throughout the brotherhood of the fire service.
This will be my second year running the Chicago Marathon for the Ignite the Spirit Fund. I chose to return because I was injured in 2025 and ran with the sole goal of finishing. This year, I am coming back healthy and excited to celebrate my comeback.
Jennifer Comi
I have always loved running and the incredible community that comes with it. There is something special about setting a goal, putting in the miles, and having a community cheer you on along the way. What makes running the 2026 Chicago Marathon even more meaningful is the opportunity to combine something I love with fundraising for a cause that is deeply personal to me—and this year, I get to share the experience with my husband, who is a first responder.
As the wife of a firefighter and lieutenant at the Westwood Fire Department in Westwood, Massachusetts, I have a firsthand understanding of the commitment and sacrifice that come with this life. I’ve seen the long shifts and overtime, the missed holidays, and the reality that plans can change in an instant when a call comes in. I’ve gained an even deeper appreciation for the people behind the uniforms and the families who support them in that commitment every day.
First responders are some of the kindest and most selfless people I have ever met. The loyalty, camaraderie, and genuine bonds they share are incredibly inspiring, and I am proud to be part of that community through my husband.
That’s why Ignite the Spirit means so much to me. The organization recognizes that firefighters are more than their uniforms—they are husbands, wives, parents, children, siblings, friends, and members of our communities. These are the people who run toward others on their hardest days, show up when someone needs help, and dedicate their lives to being there for others. But when the people who are always there for everyone else face hardships of their own, who is there for them?
It is a question I have often asked myself, so learning that an organization like Ignite the Spirit exists to support firefighters and their families through injury, illness, and unexpected hardship was incredibly meaningful. Ignite the Spirit reminds this community that its members do not have to face those difficult moments alone.
I’m incredibly proud to run for Team Ignite. Every mile of the 2026 Chicago Marathon will remind me of the firefighters and families I’m running for and the sacrifices they make every day. Their strength and resilience will keep me motivated when the miles get tough.
Thank you to Ignite the Spirit for providing such important resources to the first responder community. I am so grateful!
