CHICAGO URBAN DAILY
CHICAGO (CHICAGO URBAN DAILY)— Lace up, Chicago. Marathon week starts today, and by Sunday this city turns into one giant block party with a 26.2-mile excuse.
The 48th Bank of America Chicago Marathon takes over the streets Sunday, Oct. 11, starting and finishing in Grant Park. More than 55,000 runners are expected at the start line — from a record pool of over 200,000 applicants — with roughly 53,000 projected to cross the finish. More than a million spectators will pack the course across 29 neighborhoods.
The race week party is already rolling: Tracksmith opens at the Chicago Athletic Association at noon today, Peace Runners 773 holds its One Chicago Dinner on the West Side tonight, and the official expo opens Thursday at McCormick Place. Pop-ups, shakeout runs, cheer zones and afterparties run through Tuesday, Oct. 13.
And the racing itself could be electric. Jacob Kiplimo returns to defend his men’s title with a personal best seven seconds under the course record. Brigid Kosgei makes her first Chicago start since her 2019 world record. And Americans Charles Hicks and Clayton Young are chasing Conner Mantz’s American record on a course built for speed.
Can’t make the course? NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo carry the race live from 7 to 11 a.m. CT, with Peacock and Roku streaming nationwide. The pros go off at 7:30 a.m. sharp.
Race-day drivers, you’ve been warned: surface streets along the 26.2-mile loop close from about 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. The CTA ‘L’ rides above and below the course — take the train.
Stay tuned to Chicago Urban Daily for marathon coverage all week.
Reported by Chicago Urban Daily News. Visit chicagourbandailynews.com for updates.
