CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - We’re nearing the starting line to one of Chicago’s premier events.
The 45th Annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place this Sunday, with more than 47,000 runners expected to participate in the 26.2 mile race and 1.7 million spectators estimated to be in attendance. The city will no doubt be buzzing this weekend, and WBBM will have you set for the race. From start times to cheering sections, here is a comprehensive guide to race day:
Official Start Times
-7:20 a.m. Men’s wheelchair start
-7:21 a.m. Women’s wheelchair start
-7:23 a.m. Handcycle start
-7:30 a.m. Wave 1 start
-8:00 a.m. Wave 2 start
-8:35 a.m. Wave 3 start
Approximate Finish Times
-8:45 a.m. Wheelchair men’s champion finish
-9:00 a.m. Wheelchair women’s champion finish
-9:35 a.m. Overall men’s champion finish
-9:50 a.m. Overall women’s champion finish
-12:10 p.m. Bell curve
-4:00 p.m. Finish line closes- The marathon course will reo-open to vehicular traffic.
Marathon Course
-The marathon begins and ends in Grant Park.
-The starting line is at Columbus Drive and Monroe Street, and runners will head north.
-The finish line is at Columbus Drive and Balbo Drive, once runners turn from Roosevelt Road, a.k.a “Mount Roosevelt.”
-The course spans 29 of Chicago’s neighborhoods, reaching north to Sheridan Road, west to Damen Avenue and south to 35th Street.
Course Aid Stations
-Twenty aid stations will be located throughout the course, roughly one to two miles apart. Every station will have:
- a medical tent with a runner transport vehicle, providing non-emergency transportation to Grant Park if a runner cannot finish
- standard and ADA portable restrooms
- lemon-lime flavored Gatorade
- water
- public address announcer
- Aid Station 10 (Mile 13.6) will offer both caffeinated and non-caffeinated Gatorade energy gels
- Aid Stations 15-18 (Miles 19.5-23.5)
Cheer Zones
-Spectators will not have access to start or finish lines in Grant Park. Those who are not registered for the race will not be allowed to bring runners to the start line or welcome them at the finish line.
-Seventy-one different community cheer zones, consisting of run clubs, nonprofit organizations, businesses, neighborhood associations and international groups, will be situated throughout the course.
-Four themed cheer zones will be staged at 8K, Mile 13.1, Mile 15 and Mile 26:
-Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle Cheer Zone - 8K mark, located in Lincoln Park, on Stockton Drive, north of LaSalle Drive.
-Bank of America Chicago 13.1 Cheer Zone - 13.1 mile mark, located in the Loop, on Wacker Drive and Washington Street.
-Charity Block Party- Mile 15, located at Adams Street and Loomis Street near Whitney Young High School.
-Bank of America Cheer Zones, found at Mile 13 on N. Wacker Drive in front of the Bank of America Tower as well as at Mile 26, near the finish line, on Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon App
-Spectators can monitor runners’ progress in real-time, with the free mobile Bank of America Chicago Marathon App. The app includes live race day runner tracking, athlete profiles and an interactive course map.
Post-race
-Friends and family can meet up with runners at the Runner Reunite area, located in Grant Park within the 27th Mile Post-Race Party at Butler Field. It will open at 9:30 a.m. Spectators must pass through security and bag screening at Entrance Gate #1 (Jackson Drive and Michigan Avenue) or Entrance Gate #4 (Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue). Alphabetical signs will be posted in Butler Park. Marathon organizers say getting to the finish line to the Runner Reunite area could take up to 30 minutes.
-The 27th Mile Post-Race Party will be held at Grant Park’s Butler Field, at Columbus and Jackson Drives. The bash will include music and food and beverages for purchase. Participating runners, 21 years and older, can receive a free beer by turning in the tear-off portion of their bib number.
-The 27th Mile Post-Race Party will be open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with beer sales lasting until 3:30 p.m.
Public Transportation
-The Chicago Office of Emergency Management is encouraging the use of the CTA both downtown and throughout the marathon course.
-Spectators can view the race near numerous CTA train stations:
-Grand Red Line Station – Miles 1, 3 and 12.5
-Jackson (Red or Blue Line) Station – Mile 2
-Chicago Red Line Station – Miles 3.5 and 12.25
-Clark/Division Red Line Station – Miles 4 and 12
-Sheridan Red Line Station – Mile 8
-Addison Red Line Station – Mile 8.5
-Sedgwick Brown Line Station – Mile 11
-Washington/Wells Brown, Pink or Orange Line Station – Mile 13.5
-UIC-Halsted Blue Line Station – Miles 14 and 17
-18th Pink Line Station – Mile 19.25
-Cermak-Chinatown Red Line Station – Mile 21.5
-Sox-35th Red Line Station – Mile 23,23.25 and 23.5
-35th-Bronzeville-IIT Green Line Station – Mile 23, 23.25 and 23.5
-Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line Station – Mile 25
-Roosevelt (Red, Green and Orange Line) Station – Finish line
-Metra will have both extra early morning inbound and early afternoon outbound trains on Marathon day for its BNSF, Milwaukee District North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines. Metra’s regular $7 Sunday Day Pass, providing unlimited rides all day, will also be available.
Street Closures/Parking Restrictions
-Street closures in Grant Park Balbo from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive) began on Monday, Oct. 2.
-Race day street closures will begin at around 7 a.m. Sunday and are expected to reopen by 4:30 p.m. Click here to see full list of street closures and available routes.
-Parking restrictions will take effect starting at 1 a.m. Sunday. No Parking signs will be posted throughout the route and vehicles will be towed. To locate a towed vehicle, residents will have to call 3-1-1.
WBBM's Coverage
Check out all of our stories about this year's Chicago Marathon here.
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