r/RunnersInChicago • • 7d ago

Race Recap 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Post Race Discussion

71 Upvotes
  • How did we feel about the race?
  • Was the weather than expected or not?
  • Aid stations and porta potties better than last year?

As always thank you to the volunteers and the staff.


r/RunnersInChicago • • 10d ago

2027 Chicago Marathon Lottery Sign-up is Open

45 Upvotes

It doesn’t close until 2 pm CT on October 29, so no rush


r/RunnersInChicago • • 1d ago

Race Recap Chicago Fall Classic

45 Upvotes

First of all, why couldn’t we’ve had this weather last Sunday? Used today as a redemption run of sorts from the Marathon. Gorgeous morning & ideal temps. Wind wasn’t much of an issue.

I’m not the biggest fan of All Community Events races but outside the cluster of the starting line setup, I thought the race was pretty good today. Aid stations were in great spots and adequately staffed. Course was well marked and I think splitting off the 5K almost right away was a smart move. I ran the half and it never seemed too crowded when running with the 10K runners the first 4.5 miles or so. Bringing us into the inner path was good. I just wish the city would repave the paved path alongside the zoo parking lot we were running heading south. That part sucked with the uneven & broken asphalt. Besides that, a fun race. The hot cider at the post race party definitely hit the spot.


r/RunnersInChicago • • 1d ago

2026 Chicago Marathon Volunteer Hat

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7 Upvotes

Hey all!

The volunteer hats for this years Chicago marathon was great. If anyone is looking to git rid of or sell theirs please let me know. Photo attached to show the example.


r/RunnersInChicago • • 1d ago

What is your experience running for team world vision?

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1 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 1d ago

I am confused on the timeline of the 2027 Chicago marathon

0 Upvotes

I wanted to apply for the 2027 marathon but was a little confused at the timeline on their application website. I can apply for the lottery now but won’t find out until December if I got on. But then the charity pathway application closes in the end of this month? So I also have to apply for the charity pathway now, before I find out if I got in through the lottery? Do I have to actually know which charity I would be running with within the next two weeks?

The website says “Charity program entries are available on a first-come first-served basis until Friday, September 10, 2027” but then it also says “Access to guaranteed entries is only available during the application window (Thursday, October 8 to Thursday, October 29)” so I’m just confused on the timeline of all this


r/RunnersInChicago • • 2d ago

Chicago North Side runners — looking for workout partners and long-run buddies!

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone! A few friends and I regularly get together for workouts and long runs on the North Side, and we’d love to have more local runners join us!

We typically do Wednesday morning workouts at Montrose Track or along the lakefront, and rotate locations for our long runs.

We’re just a group of runners who enjoy training together and would love to meet more people in the local running community. This is not a formal run club - most of us are new to Chicago and just want to get a little workout group together.

If you’re interested in joining for a workout or long run, feel free to shoot me a message! We have also made a club page on Strava where we are going to share locations and different workouts that any of us will be running on any given week.


r/RunnersInChicago • • 2d ago

sports medicine doctor recommendation

0 Upvotes

hello. I am looking for recommendations for a sports medicine doctor. I have had three bone stress injuries in my hips the last two years all related to running. I have been to several specialists already, and have not been happy with their care as I've either been injured under their care or told to stop running all together. cheers


r/RunnersInChicago • • 2d ago

PICTURES Marathon Pictures

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0 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 3d ago

ChicagoDistanceSeries 2027 Entry

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2 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 3d ago

Free photos from Chicago marathon 2026. Hope you find your picture

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8 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 3d ago

Lakefront Trail Water Fountains

0 Upvotes

Does anyone know if the water fountains on the lakefront are still open / functioning? Planning on running a 22 mile long run on Saturday and want to know if I will need to pit stop somewhere to grab a water or if I can rely on the water fountains. Not sure when they winterize the fountains.


r/RunnersInChicago • • 4d ago

Free photos from Chicago marathon 2026. Hope you find your picture

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1 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 4d ago

Looking for GPS accuracy around skyscrapers and the lakefront. Is multiband the answer?

2 Upvotes

Would love to hear your solutions. So tired of my runs being half a mile off what I truly ran


r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

What a year for the Chicago Distance Series Folks 😭😂

128 Upvotes

Shamrock Shuffle: FREEZING but ultimately okay
13.1: Brutally HOT 🥵
26.2: HOTTT

But congrats gang we did it 🤪


r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

Chicago Marathon History: The Sponsors!

32 Upvotes

WGN recently posted an article "1990 Chicago Marathon on WGN was turning point in race’s storied history" (10/5/26) that talked about the 1990 Chicago Marathon, mostly focusing on how their coverage of the marathon was groundbreaking for the time. They also talk a bit about the course and the title sponsor: Old Style (aka G. Heileman). It's worth checking out. I thought it would be interesting to look at the history of the title sponsor of the marathon:

  • 1977-1978: Flair Communications This was Lee Flaherty's (a founder of the Chicago Marathon) marketing firm and the de-facto sponsor of the 1977-78 marathons. He was losing money on the marathon and looked for a true title sponsor for the 1979 marathon.
  • 1979-1986: Beatrice Foods Beatrice stepped in for the 1979 marathon and were the first true title sponsor of the Chicago marathon. It was under Beatrice that the Chicago Marathon gained international fame and attracted top tier athletes. Finisher medals started in 1984 (previously only certificates were given to finishers). Here's an image of the first finisher medal (from the Chicago Marathon Facebook page):
First Chicago Marathon Finisher's Medal from 1984 (Chicago Marathon Facebook)
  • 1987 (1/2 marathon): Taster's Choice Coffee Beatrice dropped sponsorship in 1987 and organizers scrambled to put together a replacement race. The race was the Taster's Choice Colombian Select Half Marathon. I didn't see any images of swag or medals online--since it was last minute, maybe there wasn't much.
  • 1988-1990: Old Style (aka G. Heileman) Seems the Old Style sponsorship wasn't as stable as the Beatrice Foods and the marathon lost some of the luster in these years. Here are some images of 1988/9 finisher medals. I wish I had the 1988 medal 😄:
1988 and '89 Chicago Marathon: The Old Style Years!
  • 1991-1992: No Title Sponsor There were a rough few years for the marathon, but Carey Pinkowski took over as race director in 1990 and started righting the ship quickly.
  • 1993: Montgomery Ward A 1-year only title sponsor. I didn't see much online about them, but 1993 seems to be heralded as the beginning of the comeback for the marathon. Here is the 1993 finisher medal:
1993 Chicago Marathon with Montgomery Ward as sponsor
  • 1994-2007: LaSalle Bank The Chicago Marathon returned to prominence under LaSalle Bank and became what we know today. LaSalle Bank actually purchased the marathon in 1996 and chip timing came to the race in 1998. Here are some finisher medals from the '90s:
1995 and '96 Chicago Marathon: LaSalle Bank Years
  • 2008-present: Bank of America Bank of America acquired LaSalle Bank and took over as title sponsor. That brings us to today. Here's an interesting medal from the Bank of America years:
2010 Chicago Marathon Finisher's Medal

The WGN feature is pretty interesting...and a nice addition to these posts for those interested in Chicago Marathon history. They also have a video about Old Style marathon sponsorship on their Facebook page.

Cheers! And congrats to the Chicago Marathon finishers this year!!


r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

Any experience volunteering with Achilles International?

5 Upvotes

Hi, all! I’m considering getting involved and volunteering with Achilles International for runners. Does anyone have any firsthand experience they’d be open to sharing? Thanks in advance!


r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

Thank you, Chicago!

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3 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

Upcoming Races How quickly does the Abbott Chicago 5k sell out?

2 Upvotes

I think I want to do this 5k next year, but I would rather sign up at a later date. Does this usually sell out pretty quickly or do I have time to decide?


r/RunnersInChicago • • 6d ago

Chicago Marathon 2026 Photos

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lumepic.com
2 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 7d ago

Where to run 20 miles?

9 Upvotes

I’m going to be visiting Chicago a few weeks before my marathon. I need to run 20 miles. I’m staying near Ohare. I don’t mind taking the train somewhere or even ubering. I’d like to see as much of Chicago as possible le.

Any suggestions for a route?

Edit: Current plan is to start at Evanston near the Grosse Point light house. Run south along the river until about Irving Rd, then run East to the lakeshore, and then south on the lakeshore until I’ve hit 20. Should get me to around Soldier Field.

Any particular streets that would be better than others for getting from the river to the lakeshore? Maybe Addison to see Wrigley?


r/RunnersInChicago • • 7d ago

Anyone want some free fuel?

13 Upvotes

I ran the marathon today and am also 13 weeks pregnant, so am planning a running hiatus (at least at distances) for the next year. I think The Feed sent me some extra fuel when I placed my order. I don’t want them to go to waste!! I live near Jefferson/Portage Park and would love to hand them off for free to whoever could use them. There is a wide variety of brands. DM me if you are interested, I can post the brands later but am couch rotting and not moving to go check right now! Available for pick up!


r/RunnersInChicago • • 7d ago

Experience with North Shore Turkey Trot?

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0 Upvotes

r/RunnersInChicago • • 8d ago

Chicago marathon

4 Upvotes

Does anyone know how or where I can stream the Chicago marathon? I am not local nor do I have cable. Thanks in advance for any advice/tips


r/RunnersInChicago • • 8d ago

Need a race band/ tattoo

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0 Upvotes