History and facts of the Chicago Marathon race

This event from year to year begins in the first half of October. The first race took place on September 25, 1977 (after the traditional marathon is held a month later) and was called “Daily”, 4200 runners took part in it. Since that time, the event has become a regular event, only in 1987 a half-marathon was held.

Participation in the race is considered a great success, professional runners who take first places can receive good prize money. It was one of the organizers and oldest member of AIMS. In 2006, Chicago left AIMS and entered the five elite marathons. Has a gold IAAF badge. In 2009, the marathon got a new title sponsor – Bank of America.

This shows how serious and popular the race is among both professionals and beginners. The track distance is 42195 meters, and the main age category is from 16 years old at the start of the event. In 2022, the marathon race will start in three waves: at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:35 on October 9 (Sunday) from the intersection of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street in Grant Park.

Athlete performance statistics

Many records have been set in Chicago. The most significant achievements were several world records at once: two times for men and three times for women.

Every year the number of participants is growing, and I think many people want to know how to take part in the event.

How to take part in the race

The event has a limited number of participants – 45,000 people. All who want to become a participant can register after they confirm their level of training, and then they will be selected in the general lottery. The time limit for the Chicago Marathon is 6:30.

The organizing committee of the Chicago Marathon also has free seats for charities and athletes who have previously participated in the race. Increasingly, local charities and humanitarian foundations such as the Children’s Memorial Hospital of Chicago, the American Cancer Society, Global Business Assist, and Team World Vision are using the event to raise funds.

The path of the runners

Athletes run across the Chicago River six times: the William P. Fahey Bridge, the Bataan Corregidor Memorial Bridge, the Marshall Suloway Bridge, also known as the La Salle Street Bridge, the Wells Street Bridge, the Monroe Street Bridge, and the Cermak Road Bridge .The start of the race is at the intersection of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. The finish line is in Grant Park, Chicago’s largest park.

Conclusion about this project

The time limit for the marathon distance is 6 hours 30 minutes. It’s not as easy as it may seem, but the feeling when you overcome all difficulties and cross the finish line is incomparable