This year, a reality television star, two former professional football players, and a pair of legendary chefs will race the Chicago Marathon. On top of chasing personal goals, most of the runners will be using the World Marathon Major to fundraise for different nonprofit organizations on Sunday, October 12. Here’s everything you need to know about the celebrities and notables set to run 26.2 in the Windy City.
Bryan Arenales
Three months after winning season 7 of “Love Island USA,” Arenales will be competing in his first world major for Mercy Home Heroes, which supports at-risk youth in Chicago. According to his Instagram, the financial accountant, real estate agent, and bartender last competed in the Miami Marathon—clocking a 4:00:52 finish at the race in February.
Justin Britt
Since retiring from the NFL, Britt has embraced running as a transformative part of his routine. According to race organizers, the former center, who played for the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans, started running to cope with depression. Chicago will be his first marathon, an experience he’s approaching with gratitude. “Every mile has been a lesson. Every setback—a mirror. Every step—a reminder that growth takes time, patience, and faith,” Britt wrote in a recent Instagram post. “I paused today just to take it all in…because moments like this don’t come often.”
Otis Hudson
Fellow NFL player Otis Hudson will also be competing this weekend. The retired guard, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, started running as a way to stay healthy after moving back home to the Chicago area.
Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel
Local chefs Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel are running their first marathon since the couple opened Loaf Lounge in the Avondale neighborhood. Mispagel How to Watch the 2025 Chicago Marathon for The Bear, the Emmy-winning television show based on the crew behind a Chicago Italian beef stand. She created many of the desserts featured in the fictional restaurant, including the famous chocolate cake, which is now served at her bakery.
Mispagel’s mother died from Alzheimer’s when the chef was 25 years old. On Sunday, the couple will be running on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association. “When she was her best self, she was an avid runner. It brought her so much joy. So after she passed, I picked it up in an attempt to keep us linked together,” Mispagel wrote in a recent Instagram post about her mom. “The amount of miles and tears I have given her in the last 14 years are too great to count. So here I am. Running another marathon for her.”
Rob Simmelkjaer
Four weeks before the New York City Marathon, Simmelkjaer will take on Chicago as his fourth world major. The CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR) is being coached by Peloton instructor and podcast co-host Becs Gentry. Simmelkjaer is competing on behalf of NYRR’s Team for Kids, a group that fundraises for NYRR youth and community programs.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
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