The Elmhurst Running Club's 4 on the 4th race drew 1,141 finishers in 2025 and sold out. Now in its 21st year, the USATF-certified 4-mile race returns Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Elmhurst University, with 80 percent of proceeds after expenses donated to local charities in recent years.
Registration is $35 for the 4-mile race, which starts at 7:15 a.m. at 190 Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst. A Kids 1K for ages 5–12 follows at 8:20 a.m. for $10. Both races start and finish at Elmhurst University, across from Wilder Park.
The course is flat with three short hills. Cash prizes reach $400 for first-place male and female finishers, with an additional $400 bounty for anyone who breaks the course record. The men's record stands at 18:52, set by Chandler Gibbens of Chicago in 2024; the women's record is 21:21, set by Laura Batterink of Evanston in 2014.
The race is entirely volunteer-run. According to the official race website, 2025 beneficiaries included the Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network, the Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry, and the Elmhurst Police Benevolent Athletic Association.
The Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry, led by Executive Director Kathie Watts, has seen client demand jump 38 percent year over year, making it the busiest period since the pantry's founding in 1983. "These are completely normal people who just can't make ends meet in this economy," Watts told Elmhurst Magazine. The pantry distributes 9,000 gallons of milk and 7,000 dozen eggs annually from its 2,500-square-foot facility on South York Street.
The Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network, led by Executive Director Jackie Crnkovich, reported $419,702 in total contributions in 2025. EWAN provides emergency help with rent, utilities, prescriptions, and dental care to Elmhurst residents.
Registration closes at 7:00 a.m. on race day for the 4-mile and 8:00 a.m. for the Kids 1K. Runners can sign up at runsignup.com/Race/IL/Elmhurst/4on4th. Advance packet pickup is available at Fleet Feet Elmhurst; check the race website at 4on4th.run for dates and hours.
