Take on the Pine Pacer Challenge and start the new year with a commitment to health and fitness. Participants will select a running or walking goal of 25, 50, or 100 miles and log miles throughout the month of January.
Complete your miles at the Arboretum, in your neighborhood, on a treadmill, or anywhere else you like to run and walk. Then log your miles on the Arboretum’s virtual challenge website.
No matter when or where you run or walk, your participation supports the Arboretum’s vision of a greener, healthier, more beautiful world where people and trees thrive together.
Highlights
Registration in the Pine Pacer Challenge includes a branded race apparel item.
As a participant, you will receive a digital badge for every completed challenge and a Pine Pacer Challenge completion sticker for reaching your overall mileage goal.
Registration
Registration for the Pine Pacer Challenge opens on Tuesday, October 28.
Highlights
Pine Pacer Challenge Race Apparel
All participants will receive a race apparel item with the Pine Pace Challenge logo.
Complimentary Admission
Participants receive complimentary admission to the Arboretum from Thursday, January 1, through Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Awards
Participants will receive a digital badge for every completed challenge and a Pine Pacer Challenge completion sticker for reaching their overall mileage goal.
Arboretum Walking and Running Routes
Participants may access specially designed routes via the Strava app to complete Pine Pacer Challenge miles amid the Arboretum’s beautiful, tree-filled landscapes.
Registration
Registration for the Pine Pacer Challenge opens on Tuesday, October 28.
Pine Pacer Challenge participants must select walking or running while registering, based on the predominant method they will use to accomplish their mileage goals. For example, runners are allowed to include tracked walking miles, but the majority of miles submitted should be completed while running.
Participants who are not members receive complimentary admission to the Arboretum from Thursday, January 1, through Saturday, January 31, 2026. Members may use their membership benefits to enter the Arboretum and complete challenge miles at any time during open hours without purchasing general admission.
For questions about registration or for help with the RunSignUp platform, please email races@mortonarb.org.
Packet Pickup
Race packets include a Chronotrack race bib, safety pins, and a Pine Pacer Challenge branded apparel item (if purchased). Packets can be picked up during the coffee social event at The Morton Arboretum or at Dick Pond Athletics in Lisle, IL.
Packet Pickup Coffee Social
Pick up your race packet during a coffee social event on Saturday, January 17, from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. in the Sycamore Room, located in the West Pavilion of the Visitor Center. Pine Pacer Challenge travel mugs will also be available to pick up, if purchased. Enjoy complimentary coffee, cider, and hot tea while connecting with other runners and Pine Pacer Challenge participants.
Arboretum Walking and Running Routes
Visit The Morton Arboretum and follow specially designed routes to complete your Pine Pacer Challenge miles amid beautiful, tree-filled landscapes. You can find walking and running routes with the Strava mobile app or by following signage on-site at the Arboretum.
All paved roads and wood-chipped hiking trails are accessible to walkers. Running is not permitted on wood-chipped hiking trails and must be done on paved roads. Please walk and run on roads against the direction of car traffic.
Finding Routes on Strava
Participants may find it helpful to use Strava, a premier fitness app that makes it easy to track miles and discover running and walking routes at the Arboretum. See Log Your Miles to learn more about using Strava during the challenge.
Follow the Pine Pacer Challenge profile on Strava to see suggested running and walking routes at the Arboretum.
Finding Routes at the Arboretum
Look for signage along trails and roads that identify the start and end of each route. Pine Pacer Challenge maps will not be available from the Visitor Center, so please follow the directions in the participant email to locate routes on the Arboretum grounds.
Log Your Miles
Pine Pacer Challenge participants log their miles online via the RunSignup platform. There, progress toward your mileage goal will display on a leaderboard that is updated in real time throughout the challenge.
Participants can complete their miles anywhere they like, but are encouraged to do so on-site at the Arboretum. All paved roads and wood-chipped hiking trails are accessible to walkers. Running is not permitted on wood-chipped hiking trails and must be done on paved roads. Please walk and run on roads against the direction of car traffic. The Main Route totals nine miles and runs through the East Side and the West Side of the Arboretum.
Track Miles and Find Routes with Strava
Participants may find it helpful to use Strava, a fitness app that can track mileage on an iPhone or Android using smartphone data, a GPS-supported smartwatch, or a head unit. Please note that mileage tracked on the Strava app is not automatically logged on the Pine Pacer Challenge RunSignup platform. The Strava leaderboard will not be used for the final challenge results. Challenge participants are not required to download the app.
In addition, The Morton Arboretum uses Strava to share enjoyable running and walking routes on Arboretum grounds. Weekly emails to participants will include suggested routes and information about route accessibility, length, terrain, and elevation.
Follow the Pine Pacer Challenge profile on Strava to see suggested running and walking routes at the Arboretum.
Race Apparel
All participants will receive apparel with the Pine Pace Challenge logo. Details about 2026 race apparel will be available closer to the event date.
Frequently Asked Questions
