NOTE: NBC 5 will offer complete live coverage of the 2021 race beginning at 7 a.m. CT online and on TV. The race can be streamed live on the NBC Chicago app, which will also offer a live stream of the finish line from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Click here for more.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon isn't just for runners. It's also for the millions of people cheering them on from the sidelines.
When the Chicago Marathon is over, it can be difficult to locate loved ones among thousands of exhausted and elated runners, but organizers shared their advice for the best way to find finishers.
Looking for the best place to meet up? Marathon organizers recommend spectators find their runners at the Abbott 27.2 Fest and Runner Reunite area of Grant Park.
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The area is open to spectators beginning at 9:30 a.m. and can be accessed through the security and bag screening at Entrance Gate #1 at Jackson Drive and Michigan Avenue or Entrance Gate #4 at Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue.
Because spectators will not have access to the race start and finish areas in Grant Park, organizers suggest friends, family and fans support their runners elsewhere on the course and meet them after in designated areas.
To view runners closest to the finish line, arrive early and find a spot at the Bank of America Cheer Zone, which is located at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road.
Other official cheer zones include the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle Cheer Zone at the 8K mark and the Charity Block Party at Mile 15.
