One Step Closer 2026

One Step Closer is a summer timed-loop race in Lincoln Park, produced by Orca Running and Evergreen Trail. Runners select a 3-hour, 6-hour, 12-hour, or 18-hour window and complete as many laps as possible before the 11:00 PM end. The course is a 2-mile loop within the park, focusing on steady repeats over a point-to-point route. Start times are staggered by distance, with the longest runners starting in the morning and the 3-hour participants joining in the evening. All runners finish simultaneously, followed by a post-race gathering. There are kids' Loopy options, and the run-club team contest allows groups of 2 to 5 to accumulate laps, with plaques awarded to the top three teams.