The blue line is down, street closures have begun to take shape and packet pickup at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo is underway: The 2023 Chicago Marathon weekend is nearly here.
The upcoming race is expected to be the largest ever, with more than 47,000 participants registered for the 26.2 mile marathon course, a long list of decorated athletes and over a million spectators set to cheer from the sidelines.
But this year marks a major milestone for the race.
The Chicago Marathon began in 1977, with its first location at Buckingham Fountain to Lincoln Park. Since then, more than 960,000 participants have crossed the finish line. This year, the race will see its millionth finisher.
MORE: What can you bring with you if you're attending the Chicago Marathon
"Whether you’ve contributed to that number by running a past Chicago Marathon or will contribute to that number this fall, you are a significant part of the race’s story," a letter from Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski sent to participants last month read.
Whether you're planning to run on Sunday or cheering someone on, here's your guide to the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
When is Chicago Marathon, and what time does it start?
The 45th Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, Oct. 8. The race will officially begin with the men's marathon wheelchair start at 7:20 a.m. CT.
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The weekend’s schedule includes:
Friday, October 6
Abbott Health & Fitness Expo; Packet pick-up
McCormick Place, Lakeside Center
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, October 7
Abbott Chicago 5K
Start line: Columbus Drive (between Jackson Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive)
Finish line: Wacker Drive and Jackson Boulevard
Race start: 7:30 a.m.
Abbott Health & Fitness Expo; Packet pick-up
McCormick Place, Lakeside Center
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, October 8
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Grant Park
Marathon Wheelchair Start (men): 7:20 a.m.
Marathon Wheelchair Start (women): 7:21 a.m.
Marathon Handcycle Start: 7:23 a.m.
Marathon Wave 1 Start (red): 7:30 a.m.
Marathon Wave 2 Start (blue): 8 a.m.
Marathon Wave 3 Start (orange): 8:35 a.m.
Spectator access to Grant Park begins: 9:30 a.m.
27th Mile Post-Race Party
Grant Park, Butler Field
9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where is the starting and finish line? What neighborhoods does it run through?
The Chicago Marathon start line is located in Grant Park at the intersection of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.
The Chicago Marathon finish line is located in Grant Park on Columbus Drive just south of Balbo Drive. Spectators are not allowed to greet runners at the finish line, but can line up early to get a good viewing spot in a Bank of America Cheer Zone.
The race begins and finishes in Grant Park, weaving its way through 29 neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville and Chinatown. You can find a full Chicago marathon course map here.
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While spectators will not have access to the race start and finish areas in Grant Park, they can choose to watch the race from designated cheer zones or attend the 27th Mile Post-Race Party and Runner Reunite events that start at 9:30 a.m.
Race day forecast
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, marathon morning will be cold, but no rain is expected during the race.
Temperatures are going to be in the low to mid-40s around sunrise, but could feel as cold as the mid-30s. Temps will rise into the upper-40s toward the end of the race. By the afternoon, temperatures will be near 60 degrees.
While there may be some sunshine Sunday, early predictions indicate the day may see more clouds than sun.
Winds will be out of the northwest, with gusts around 10-15 mph most of the day. Occasional gusts could be a little higher, however.
Street closures and where to park
More than 40 street closures for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will eventually go into effect, with some streets not reopening until Monday.
While public transportation is recommended, marathon attendees have the option to park in one of four Millennium Garages come race day: Millennium Lakeside, Millennium Park, Grant Park South and Grant North Park. These are the closest garages to Grant Park.
MORE: Can you cross the street along the Chicago Marathon course?
Parking around Grant Park can also be found on the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s Grant Park Start/finish map, along with nearby toilets, medical facilities, CTA stops and hydration areas.
Those looking to park elsewhere can navigate around road closures with the street closure brochure.
How to track a runner
Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon app to track your runner, available on both Apple and Android devices. You can add up to 20 runners on the app. Search a runner’s name and add them to your “favorites” for them to appear on your tracking list.
The app also provides the day’s scheduled events, an interactive course map and photos from the race.
How to watch the race live, and watch a runner cross the finish line
NBC Chicago, Telemundo Chicago and NBC Sports Chicago will offer complete live coverage and live streaming of the 2023 Chicago Marathon and the finish line in both English and Spanish.
Users can watch live broadcasts of the event on nbcchicago.com, nbcsportschicago.com and telemundochicago.com, as well as their respective apps, from 7 - 11 a.m. There will also be a finish line camera streaming from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More details can be found here.
More on the 2023 Chicago Marathon
From runner rituals to inspiring stories, you can find everything about the 2023 Chicago Marathon here.
