El Trote De Las Calacas 2026
- Date
- Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Start time
- 9:00 AM start (Chicago)
- Location
- Elgin, Illinois
- Entry fee
- From $60
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5k | 5K | Oct 10, 20269:00 AM | $60 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- $60 until Oct 10.
Online registration closes Oct 10, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $60, entry is about 71 percent above a typical 5K in Illinois, which costs $35 right now.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Elgin runs 41:21, about 13:19 a mile, based on 5 races with published results. Women typically finish in 43:40 and men in 36:18.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:58 AM, and the 5k starts at 9:00 AM. The start sits about 750 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
270 N. Grove, Elgin, IL 60120
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All resultsAggregated from official results for El Trote De Las Calacas. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at El Trote De Las Calacas?
In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 27:51 or better, the top quarter in 32:37, and half the field in 41:21; the last tenth came in after 1:00:37.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 28:52 | 22:49 |
| 20-29 | 26:09 | 22:55 |
| 30-39 | 25:17 | 21:37 |
| 40-49 | 25:45 | 21:09 |
| 50-59 | 28:51 | 24:26 |
| 60-69 | 35:56 | 31:51 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
How fast is it?
Slower than most Illinois 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 32:37, against 28:26 in a typical Illinois 5K, so times here run 15 percent slower.
Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.
Typical race-day weather
Around October 10 the day usually runs from 50°F at dawn to 67°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 28% of days. Cold snaps dip to 39°F and hot years reach 79°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
Race details
- Where
- 270 N. Grove, Elgin, IL 60120Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 750 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K
- Editions
- 2026 (Oct 10, 2026), 2025 (Oct 18, 2025), 2024 (Nov 2, 2024)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is El Trote De Las Calacas?
- Saturday, October 10, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $60 before processing fees.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Oct 10, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Illinois?
- At $60, entry is about 71 percent above a typical 5K in Illinois, which costs $35 right now.
- Do runners get a shirt or medal?
- Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances can I run?
- 5K.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 860 runners finished the 5k; the median finish was 41:21 and the winner ran 18:23.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 32:37, against 28:26 in a typical Illinois 5K, so times here run 15 percent slower.
- Where does it start?
- 270 N. Grove, Elgin, IL 60120.
From the organizers
Experience the festive El Trote De Las Calacas (Skeleton Trot), a USTF-certified 5K race/walk and lively cultural event in its third annual year! With over 1,000 attendees in 2025, all will experience the celebration honoring Day of the Dead with music, food, dancing catrinas, performers, a cultural marketplace and more. The race steps off amid music and fanfare at 9 am on a course that begins at the Gail Borden Public Library at 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Be part of the tradition. Run with the Calacas!