Chicago is nearly a week out from hosting its biggest racing event of the year.
The 44th running of Bank of America Chicago Marathon will step off Oct. 9, reeling in thousands of runners and millions of spectators to the city.
From the ins-and-outs of the 26.2-mile course to race-day road closures, here's information to know ahead of the marathon:
Abbott Health & Fitness Expo
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Before runners can step off for the marathon, they'll need to make a trip to the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo.
As the one-stop station for race-day preparations, the expo will run packet pickup and share important information. The expo will also feature hundreds of vendors and exhibits.
All participants must pick up a packet, which will include: bib numbers, safety pins, timing devices, gear check tags and Nike shirts.
Local
Packets will be distributed at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo in the McCormick Place located at 2301 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
All participants must present their packet pick-up email and a photo ID to receive their packets.
Here's the schedule:
Oct. 6: Packet Pick Up
- 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oct. 7 Packet Pick Up
- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oct. 8: Packet Pick Up
- 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Race Swag
Bank of America Chicago Marathon runners can commemorate their journey to the finish line by gearing up with official race merchandise offered by Nike.
The sportswear giant has curated a collection of performance running and lifestyle apparel tailored for the special occasion. Runners can score the limited-edition marathon drip, from shorts to sweatshirts, online at Nike.com, in-store at Nike Chicago or at the Abbott Health and Fitness Expo during race week.
The merchandise also will be available at a number of local stores:
- Nike Chicago: 669 Michigan Ave.
- Fleet Feet Chicago: multiple locations
- Naperville Running Company: 34 W. Jefferson Ave.
- Heartbreak Hill Running Company: 2148 N. Halsted St.
- Last Lap Cornerstore: 330 E. 51st St.
Official finisher's merchandise will be available starting Oct. 8 exclusively at Nike Chicago and online.
The marathon also unveiled its 2022 medal for race finishers, paying tribute to some of the many city landmarks that line the course.
The medal features a number of iconic city sites that greet runners throughout their journey from the start line to the finish line.
Images include attractions like the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel and Buckingham Fountain, popular sites like the Art Institute Lions, and go-to spots like the Music Box Theater, among others.
A free poster adorned with the city's historic landmarks can be picked up at the expo, too.
Course
Known for its flat and fast course, the inaugural race will start and end in Grant Park, taking runners on a grand tour of the city in between their journey.
Along the 26.2-mile trek, runners will be guided across 29 neighborhoods, dozens of historic landmarks and six Chicago River bridges.
Organizers anticipate that the route will be treaded by as many as 40,000 runners, and plenty of supporters are expected to be scattered along the course, too.
All marathon participants are expected to complete the distance in at least six hours and 30 minutes, which means runners will have to tread a 15-minute — or faster — pace per mile.
Runner Tracking
The marathon has its own mobile application that includes live race-day features, including a way to track runners along their journey.
Runners and fans can download the app here for iPhone and here for Android, or by searching "Bank of America Chicago Marathon" in the Apple and Google Play stores.
To add registered participants to their tracking list, users can search their name and add them to their favorites. Users can track up to 20 runners through the app, which also includes an interactive course map, a schedule of events and race photos.
Runner tracking will also be available on the marathon's website race day, allowing spectators to view the race leaderboard, and follow friends and family by getting real-time updates and splits.
Race-Day Schedule
The marathon will get underway at 7:20 a.m. with the men's wheelchair start, which will be followed shortly by the women's wheelchair start at 7:21 a.m. The handcycle start will then commence at 7:23 a.m.
Runners in wave 1 will get to start their trek at 7:30 a.m. Organizers suggest that those stepping off in this wave arrive at 5:30 a.m., as the start corral closes for entry at 7:20 a.m.
Wave 2 will kick off at 8 a.m., with the start corral closing at 7:45 a.m. Organizers suggest that runners in this wave arrive at 6 a.m.
Wave 3, the final wave, will send runners off at 8:35 a.m., with the start corral closing for entry at 8:10 a.m. Organizers suggest participants in this wave arrive at 6:30 a.m.
Runners can check their start coral assignments through their participant account.
Spectators will be allowed access to Grant Park at 9:30 a.m. so they can cheer runners on as they close out their race. The Runner Reunite and 27th Mile Post-Race party also starts at 9:30 a.m., with plans to run until 4 p.m.
Road Closures
To make way for thousands of runners hitting the streets, the city is issuing a number of road closures and parking restrictions.
The marathon will begin 7:20 a.m. Oct. 9 in Grant Park, near Columbus Drive and Grand Avenue. The street closures will span from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed areas will include:
- Columbus Drive to Grand Avenue: 7 to 10 a.m.
- Grand Avenue from Columbus Drive to State Street: 7 to 10 a.m.
- State Street from Grand Avenue to Jackson Boulevard: 7 to 10:30 a.m.
- Jackson Boulevard from State Street to LaSalle Street: 7 to 10:30 a.m.
- LaSalle Street from Jackson Boulevard to Stockton Drive: 7 to 11:30 a.m.
- Stockton Drive from LaSalle Drive to Fullerton Drive: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
- Fullerton Drive from Stockton Drive to Cannon Drive: 7 from 11:45 a.m.
- Cannon Drive from Fullerton Drive to Sheridan Road: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
- Sheridan Road from Diversey Parkway to Belmont Avenue: 7 to 11:45 a.m.
- Inner Lakeshore Drive from Belmont Avenue to Sheridan Road: 7 a.m. to noon
- Sheridan Road from Inner Lakeshore Drive to Broadway Avenue: 7 a.m. to noon
- Broadway Avenue from Sheridan Road to Briar Place: 7 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- Broadway Avenue from Briar Place to Diversey Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
- Clark Street from Diversey Parkway to Fullerton Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
- Clark Street from Fullerton Parkway to Webster Avenue: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
- Webster Avenue from Clark Street to Sedgwick Street: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
- Sedgwick Street from Webster Avenue to North Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- North Avenue from Sedgwick Street to Wells Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Wells Street from North Avenue to Walton Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Wells Street from Walton Street to Wacker Drive: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
- Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Monroe Street: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
- Monroe Street from Wacker Drive to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Halsted Street from Monroe Street to Adams Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Adams Street from Halsted Street to Damen Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- Damen Avenue from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- Jackson Boulevard from Damen Avenue to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
- Halsted Street from Jackson Boulevard to Taylor Street: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Taylor Street from Halsted Street to Loomis Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
- Loomis Street from Taylor Street to 18th Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
- 18th Street from Loomis Street to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Halsted Street from 18th Street to 21st Street: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- 21st Street from Halsted Street to Canalport Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- Canalport Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak Road: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- Cermak Road from Canalport Avenue to Wentworth Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Road to 26th Street: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
- 26th Street from Wentworth Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
- Michigan Avenue from 26th Street to 35th Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 35th Street from Michigan Avenue to Indiana Avenue: 7 a.m. 4 p.m.
- Indiana Avenue from 35th Street to 31st Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 31st Street from Indiana Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- Michigan Avenue from 31st Street to Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vehicles that are parked along the closed streets will be ticketed and towed. Information about towed vehicles can be found at (312)744-4444.
Several routes are scheduled to remain available to commuters. For more information, click here.
Additional closures will be issued by Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications as the race date draws closer.
Transportation
Organizers encourage all participants and spectators to use public transportation race weekend.
For those who opt to drive, Millennium Garages are the closest parking options to Grant Park.
COVID-19 Polices
"Creating a safe environment race weekend is everyone’s responsibility," organizers said on the marathon's website.
Organizers are urging participants who test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with the virus within 10 days of the event to not take part unless they have met all the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations regarding quarantine and isolation.
Participants who test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event — Sept. 30 — will have the opportunity to defer their place and entry fee to the 2023 event.
Those experiencing symptoms of the virus are also encouraged to not participate in the event, according to organizers.
Streaming
NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo Chicago will offer complete live TV coverage and live streaming of the marathon in both English and Spanish.
The live television broadcasts will air from 7 to 11 a.m., and the live stream will be available 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com, on the NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago apps, as well as the stations’ Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, LX channels.
NBC 5's marathon broadcast and digital coverage also will stream on Peacock this year. To view the Chicago Marathon on NBC 5's streaming channel, NBC Chicago News on Peacock, head to PeacockTV.com or download the free Peacock app on your streaming device, phone or tablet (available for iPhone or Android).
