Chicago Marathon 2018 route map and information – Chicago Tribune

The course

Description: Runners start and finish the race in Grant Park, and the course has spurs out through the city. The fast, flat course is home to four world records and several national records. Organizers have made changes to the course this year (mainly in the portions in Uptown, the Loop, Chinatown and Bronzeville), though it retains the same general configuration. (Note: The route is subject to change.)

Start times:

• Wheelchair race: 7:20 a.m.
• Handcycle: 7:22 a.m.
• Athletes with disabilities: 7:23 a.m.
• Three waves of runners start at 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m. and 8:35 a.m.

Duration: The men’s wheelchair winner is estimated to finish at 8:45 a.m. The women’s winner in that division by 9 a.m. The overall men’s winner should finish by 9:35 a.m., with the overall women’s winner done by 9:50 a.m. Beyond that, the course is open for six hours, 30 minutes.

Mile markers

SHERIDAN

Lake

Michigan

BelmoNT

fullerton

columbus

halsted

MICHIGAN

lake shore

cermak

wentworth

INDIANA

SHERIDAN

Mile markers

BROADWAY

BelmoNT

When roads

will reopen

CANNON

webster

Lake

Michigan

DIVISION

CHICAGO

columbus

monroe

halsted

loomis

MICHIGAN

lake shore

cermak

ARCHER

wentworth

INDIANA

SHERIDAN

ADDISON

Mile markers

BROADWAY

BelmoNT

When roads

will reopen

diversEy

CANNON

fullerton

webster

Sedgwick

Lake

Michigan

DIVISION

CHICAGO

LASALLE

columbus

monroe

jackson

taylor

halsted

roosevelt

loomis

ASHLAND

MICHIGAN

cermak

lake shore

ARCHER

wentworth

INDIANA

Avoiding the traffic

If you are looking to stay clear of race traffic Sunday roads, here’s how.

Road closures: Roads on the course close at 7 a.m. and begin opening at 9 a.m. in the Loop. Lincoln Park roads reopen around noon, Near West Side around 2 p.m., Pilsen around 3 p.m., Bronzeville around 4 p.m. and the entire course around 6 p.m.

Grant Park: Roads in Grant Park will close Thursday and most will reopen Sunday evening. Parts of Columbus Drive will remain closed until Monday morning and parts of Balbo Drive will remain closed into next week depending on how fast the tear-down goes.

Parking on the course: No-parking zones along the course will go into effect at 1 a.m. Sunday. Vehicles in violation will be ticketed and towed.

Getting there

CTA: CTA will add service on the Blue, Red, Brown, Orange, Green and Purple lines as well as a Yellow Line shuttle. Some buses will be rerouted. See the CTA website for more information.

Metra: Metra will run extra trains in addition to regularly scheduled Sunday train service on the BNSF Railway, Metra Electric District, Milwaukee District North, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines. See the Metra website for more information. The South Shore Line will operate an extra early morning train and an extra eastbound train on race day. See the South Shore Line website for more information.

Prohibited items

Participants, volunteers, event staff and spectators must pass through security before entering Grant Park. Dangerous or inappropriate items will be confiscated or denied access. Here are prohibited items:

• Wheeled devices, including non-registered wheelchairs and handcycles, baby joggers, strollers, skateboards, rollerblades and bicycles
• Selfie-sticks, camera mounts, video devices, computers or any similar devices
• Remote-controlled aircrafts and drones
• Large bags (backpacks, suitcases and rolling bags)
• Hard-sided coolers
• Costumes covering the face, any non-forming bulky outfits extending beyond the perimeter of the body, props and non-running equipment
• Pets/animals (except for service animals)
• Chairs
• Alcoholic beverages
• Illegal substances
• Weapons

Participants

Download: The official race participant guide at chicagomarathon.com.

Tracking: Runners can sign up to track live results. Or, download the official mobile app. Results will also be available at chicagomarathon.com.

Security and safety: As in years past, only participants displaying their race bibs, event staff with proper credentials and ticketed guests will have access to the race start and finish areas in Grant Park. Marathon participants are asked to use the transparent bags they will receive from the pre-race expo to expedite the security screening process. Runners are required to register with a government-issued photo ID. The event website has information on the event alert system.

Spectators

Starting line: Spectators will not be able to escort runners to the start line or greet runners at the finish line. The closest viewing area to the start is on Grand Avenue, between Columbus Drive and State Street, or anywhere along State Street between Grand Avenue and Jackson Boulevard.

Throughout the course: A list of suggested spectator viewing areas, including mile markers and CTA train lines, is available on the race’s official website.

Finish line: To view runners closest to the finish of the race, go to the Bank of America Cheer Zone at Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road. After the race, spectators should plan to meet runners at the runner reunite area in Butler Field, located north and south of Jackson Drive.

Watch on TV: WMAQ-Ch. 5 and Telemundo Chicago will broadcast live from 7-11 a.m. and livestream at nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Listen: WSCR-AM 670 from 7-11 a.m.

Post-race party: Spectators can reunite with runners at the 27th Mile Post-Race Party at Grant Park’s Butler Field. Access to this area will be available to spectators starting at 9:30 a.m. through gates on Jackson Boulevard and Congress Parkway. Bag screening is required.