Steve Holler and his son John will be two of the runners in June 4's "The Western Avenue Six Pack Almost Marathon." The race will take runners through 23.5 miles of Western Avenue, with stops at six bars, including Cork & Kerry; Dot's Place; Water Hole Lounge; Empty Bottle; Spyner's Pub; and, finally, Candlelite Chicago. View Full Caption Facebook

CHICAGO — This could be the greatest running race idea in Chicago history.

Partnering his passion for long-distance jaunts, drinking and seeing the city, Edgewater's Steve Holler invented "The Western Avenue Six Pack Almost Marathon." The free 23.5-mile race set for June 4 will take runners through all of Western Avenue's Chicago existence, from Beverly to Rogers Park.

Justin Breen chats about the drinking marathon.

Along the way, runners will stop at six bars — Cork & Kerry; Dot's Place; Water Hole Lounge; Empty Bottle; Spyner's Pub; and, finally, Candlelite Chicago — to have a beer, bathroom break or to stretch. Holler, an attorney and University of Chicago Law School graduate, expects the whole event to take about 5-6 hours.

Steve Holler and his son John will be two of the runners in June 4's "The Western Avenue Six Pack Almost Marathon." The race will take runners through 23.5 miles of Western Avenue, with stops at six bars, including Cork & Kerry; Dot's Place; Water Hole Lounge; Empty Bottle; Spyner's Pub; and, finally, Candlelite Chicago. View Full Caption Facebook

"This is a crazy idea that combines all the things I love," said Holler, 56, an Assistant General Counsel at Loyola University Chicago. "This is totally grassroots."

Holler said he was inspired to create the race after reading DNAinfo stories on groups that walked the lengths of entire Chicago streets and a duo that drank at every bar along Western Avenue over a three-day stretch.

Holler expects between 10-30 runners to run the longest continuous street in Chicago. One will be the oldest of his four children, John, who's soon to graduate from U. of C. Law School before taking a job at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Holler and his son ran the Chicago Marathon together in 2014, one of 20 marathons Holler has finished.

The race begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at 119th/Western Avenue. Runners should bring their own money to pay for transportation and drinks.

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