Spectator Information
Bank of America Chicago Marathon spectators and fans, whether you are planning to support a specific runner or looking to cheer on the masses, we have all the information you need to prepare for race day viewing along the course or from home.
Click on a topic below to find out more:
Broadcast Information
Spectator Viewing Areas: Start and Finish
Spectator Viewing Areas by CTA Trains
McDonald's Runner Update Centers
Participant Times and Locations
Broadcast Information
NBC 5 Chicago
NBC CHICAGO and NBCCHICAGO.COM will provide complete LIVE TV and LIVE ON-LINE coverage of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, 7am-11am Sunday, October 10th.
The Score Sportsradio 670 AM
On race day, The Score Sportsradio 670 AM will bring you all the race action live. Tune into 670 AM to catch the live broadcast from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Spectator Viewing Areas: Start and Finish
Family and friends planning to attend the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will have limited access to the Start and Finish Line areas in Grant Park.
Start Line: Spectators will not be able to access Grant Park north of Jackson Blvd. as well as the intersection of Monroe St. & Columbus Dr. To get the best view of the start of the race, we recommend that spectators head north to Grand Ave., between Columbus Ave. and Rush St., near the 1-mile marker, or anywhere along State St., between Hubbard St. and Jackson Blvd.
Finish Line: Spectators will not be able to access Grant Park east of Michigan Ave., between Congress Pkwy. (westbound lanes) and Balbo Ave. Spectators will not be able to access Grant Park north of the 11th St. Bridge/Underpass & Columbus Dr. Spectators will not be able to access Grant Park south of Congress Pkwy. and Columbus Dr.
Recommended spectator viewing areas closest to the finish line are the public bleachers south of the 11th St. Bridget/Underpass & Columbus Dr. Additionally, we recommend that spectators plan to meet their runners after the race at the Runner Reunite Area in Butler Field, located north of Jackson Blvd., between Columbus Dr. and Lake Shore Dr.
McDonald's Runner Update Centers
Eight McDonald's locations along the Chicago Marathon course are proud to be designated as Runner Update Centers where Marathon support staff will provide runner updates throughout the race. The following locations will serve as McDonald's Runner Update Centers:
201 N. Clark St. (at Lake St.)
23 S. Clark St. (at Madison St.)
180 W. Adams St. (at Wells St.)
230 S. State St. (at Adams St.)
600 N. Clark St. (at Ohio St.)
2635 N. Clark St. (at Wrightwood Ave.)
1563 N. Wells St. (at North Ave.)
1664 S. Blue Island Ave. (at 18th St.)
Spectators Viewing Areas by CTA Trains
Use Chicago’s excellent CTA rail transit system to show your support for this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon from beginning to end. Talk to your runners and find out their planned pace to estimate when they will arrive at particular locations on the course. Below is a list of the best viewing locations from CTA stations along the Marathon route.
Monroe (Red Line) Station – Race Start, Mile #2
Board a Red Line train and exit at Monroe Street. Walk a half-mile east toward Grant Park. The Marathon will start at Monroe Street and Columbus Drive.
Chicago (Red Line) Station – Miles #3.5 and #11.5
Board a Red Line train and exit at Chicago Avenue. Walk three blocks west to LaSalle Street.
Addison (Red Line) Station – Mile #7.75
Board a Red Line train and exit at Addison Street. Walk four blocks east to Broadway Street.
Sedgwick (Brown Line) Station – Mile #10.25
Board a Brown Line train and exit at Sedgwick Street. Walk a half-block north to North Avenue.
UIC-Halsted (Blue Line) Station – Miles #16, 16.5
Board a Blue Line train and exit at UIC-Halsted. Use the Halsted Street exit or Morgan Street exit. Walk two blocks north on Morgan Street to Adams Street to view the runners at Mile 16 in Greektown or use the Halsted Street exit to Mile 16.5.
18th (Pink Line) Station – Mile #19
Board a Pink Line train and exit at 18th Street. Walk one block east to Ashland Avenue.
Halsted (Orange Line) Station – Mile #20.5
Board an Orange Line train and exit at Halsted Street.
35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green Line) Station – Mile #23
Board a Green Line train and exit at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT. Use the 33rd Street or 35th Street exit.
Sox-35th (Red Line) station – Mile #23.25
Board a Red Line train and exit at 35th Street. Walk two blocks east on 35th Street to State Street.
Roosevelt (Red, Green and Orange Line) Station – Finish Line
Board a Red, Green or Orange Line train and exit at Roosevelt Road. Walk east on Roosevelt Road toward the Museum Campus/Grant Park.
Participant Times and Locations
Below are the approximate times the first and last participants will pass through the listed mile points:
Start to Mile 2 (Wheelchair Start: 7:20 a.m. & Runners: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.)
Marathon starts in Grant Park at Columbus Dr. and Monroe Dr. The route travels north on Columbus to Grand Ave., west on Grand to Rush St., south on Rush St. to Hubbard St., west on Hubbard to State St. and south on State to Jackson Blvd.
Mile 2 to Mile 4 (Wheelchair: 7:26 a.m. & Runners: 7:39 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.)
Continues west on Jackson Blvd. from State St. to LaSalle St. and north on LaSalle St. to Division St.
Mile 4 to Mile 6 (Wheelchair: 7:33 a.m. & Runners: 7:49 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.)
Continues north on LaSalle St. from Division St. to Stockton Dr., north on Stockton Dr. to Fullerton Pkwy., east on Fullerton Pkwy. to Cannon Dr. and north on Cannon Dr.
Mile 6 to Mile 8 (Wheelchair: 7:40 a.m. & Runners: 7:58 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
Continues north on Cannon Dr. from Fullerton Pkwy. to Sheridan Dr., north on Sheridan Dr. to Inner Lake Shore Dr., north on Inner Lake Shore Dr. to Addison St., west on Addison St. to Broadway St. and south on Broadway to Roscoe St.
Mile 8 to Mile 10 (Wheelchair: 7:47 a.m. & Runners: 8:08 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
Continues south on Broadway St. from Roscoe St. to Clark St., south on Clark St. to Webster St., west on Webster St. to Sedgwick St., south on Sedgwick St. to Menomonee St.
Mile 10 to Mile 12 (Wheelchair: 7:54 a.m. & Runners: 8:18 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.)
Continues south on Sedgwick St. from Menomonee St. to North Ave. (eastbound lanes), east on North Ave. to Wells St., south on Wells St. to Hubbard St., west on Hubbard St. to Franklin St.
Mile 12 to Mile 14 (Wheelchair: 8:01 a.m. & Runners: 8:27 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
Continues west on Hubbard St. to Orleans St., south on Orleans St. to Franklin St., south on Franklin St. to Adams St., west on Adams St. to Racine Ave.
Mile 14 to Mile 16 (Wheelchair: 8:08 a.m. & Runners: 8:37 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Continues west on Adams St. to Damen Ave., south on Damen Ave. to Van Buren St., east on Van Buren St. to Ogden Ave. and northeast on Ogden Ave. to Jackson Blvd.
Mile 16 to Mile 18 (Wheelchair: 8:14 a.m. & Runners: 8:47 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Continues east on Jackson Blvd. to Halsted St., south on Halsted St. to Taylor St. and west on Taylor St. to Laflin St.
Mile 18 to Mile 20 (Wheelchair: 8:21 a.m. & Runners: 8:56 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
Continues west on Taylor St. to Ashland Ave., south on Ashland Ave. (northbound lanes) to 18th St., east on 18th St. to Halsted St. and south on Halsted St. to Cermak Rd.
Mile 20 to Mile 22 (Wheelchair: 8:28 a.m. & Runners: 9:06 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)
Continues south on Halsted St. from Cermak Rd. to Archer Ave., northeast on Archer Ave. to Cermak Rd., east on Cermak Rd. to Wentworth Ave., south on Wentworth Ave. to 27th St.
Mile 22 to Mile 24 (Wheelchair: 8:35 a.m. & Runners: 9:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Continues south on Wentworth Ave. to 33rd St., east on 33rd St. to State St., south on State St. (northbound lanes) to 35th St., east on 35th St. to Michigan Ave., north on Michigan Ave. to 29th St.
Mile 24 to Mile 26 (Wheelchair: 8:42 a.m. & Runners: 9:25 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
Continues north on Michigan Ave. to Roosevelt Rd., east on Roosevelt Rd. (westbound lanes) to Columbus Dr., north on Columbus Dr.
Mile 26 to Finish (Wheelchair: 8:49 a.m. & Runners: 9:35 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
The route concludes north on Columbus Dr. to the Finish Line.