On Sunday, October 8, over 40,000 elites, seasoned runners, and newbie marathoners charged to the finish line in Chicago’s Grant Park during the Chicago Marathon, a race so pancake-flat and well-supported by spectators that fast times are almost guaranteed.
Since the marathon’s founding in 1977, the race has witnessed world-class athletes break numerous records, race-day temperatures ranging from as high as the upper 80s to as low as the 20s, thousands of sports drinks and energy gels being consumed, and too many highlights to count.
Here’s a rundown of the marathon—including registration information, facts and figures about field size, past winners, and weather—plus a review of the 2023 race.
How to Get Into the Chicago Marathon
You apply for the non-guaranteed lottery starting in October following that year’s race. If applying for the lottery for 2024, registration closes on November 16, 2023, and then you will find out if you got in by December 7.
Looking for an easier way in? You are guaranteed entry if you already ran the race five or more times over the last decade. You could also secure guaranteed entry if you hit a time standard between January 1, 2022, and when registration closes.
Here are the current time standards for Chicago, broken down by age group:
- 16 to 29 years old (3:05 for men, 3:35 for women)
- 30 to 39 (3:10 for men, 3:40 for women)
- 40 to 49 (3:20 for men, 3:50 for women)
- 50 to 59 (3:35 for men, 4:20 for women)
- 60 to 69 (4:00 for men, 5:00 for women)
- 70 to 79 (4:30 for men, 5:55 for women)
- 80+ (5:25 World Majors Now Offer Nonbinary Divisions)
Starting with the 2022 edition, the Chicago Marathon has a nonbinary division, which follows the women’s time qualifications. (Find more information on the registration process, including how to run for charity, on the Chicago Marathon website.)
How the Chicago Marathon Came to Be
In 1977, Michael Bilandic, then the mayor of Chicago and an enthusiastic runner, threw his support behind putting on a race along the downtown streets of the Windy City. The Chicago Marathon was dreamed up by five founders, including original race director Wendy Miller, in November of 1976, and officially kicked off on September 25, 1977.
Fees for that debut event were just $5, and more than 4,200 runners showed up to compete—including 8-year-old Wesley Paul, who finished in 3:15:20—making the Mayor Daley Marathon (named after former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley) the largest 26.2-mile race in the world at the time. The 1977 men’s winner was Indiana native Dan Cloeter, who ran 2:17:52, while Texan Dorothy Doolittle won the women’s race in 2:50:47.
The enormous success of that debut marathon not only established the annual race for years to come, but it also set other running initiatives into motion. Under Bilandic’s hand, what was once an old equestrian trail along Lake Michigan was paved into a five-mile running path, which eventually became the 18-Sales & Deals that Chicago runners know and love today.
Race Size and Weather
While Chicago’s flat course certainly contributed to fast performances in the past, the infectious atmosphere, competitive field, and weather on race day has helped, too. In 2007, the race began capping its field at 45,000 participants, making it more than 10 times larger than it was 30 years prior. In 2019, the last Chicago Marathon before the COVID-19 pandemic, 45,956 runners Lawrence Cherono of Kenya 2:05:45, Brigid Kosgei of Kenya 2:14:04.
The average highs/lows in early October for Chicago are usually in the lows 60s to low 40s. But in 2007, marathoners suffered record-high temps of 89 degrees and 73 percent humidity on race day. In 1988—the coldest race ever recorded—they endured temps as low as 21 degrees. In 1993, participants ran through snow. In 2019, runners had perfect marathon weather, with lows in the high 30s and highs in the low 50s. On Sunday, October 9, the expected low is 49 and high is 61—dang near close to perfect.
Quick Rundown of the Course
Because much of the route is flat as a pancake, and race day mornings are usually brisk, it can be hard to hold back in the early miles of Chicago—but no matter how good you feel from the gun, 26.2 miles is still a long way to go, so proper pacing is key for staying strong through the finish.
The looped course starts and finishes in Grant Park along Lake Michigan. After two miles of running through downtown Chicago (the tall buildings could cause problems with the GPS signal on your watch), runners go northward for about six miles, then turn back south, running through Boystown, Lincoln Park, and Old Town until they hit the halfway point. There, runners change directions and head east. For miles 14 through 21, runners pass through the West Loop, University Village, Little Italy, and Pilsen. After mile 21, runners turn south for a spin through Chinatown before heading back north toward the finish line in Grant Park.
Past Winners and Prize Money
Since the event’s founding, Chicago has grown tremendously in size and talent. The combination of a deep field, fast course, and a sizable prize purse has attracted the best of the best over the years.
In 1982, race organizers awarded winners with prize money for the first time; that year, Americans Greg Meyer (2:10:59) and Nancy Conz (2:33:23) each took home $12,000.
Six marathon world records have been set on the course: in 1984, Steve Jones set the men’s record of 2:08:05; Khalid Khannouchi lowered the men’s record to 2:05:42 in 1999; Catherine Ndereba set the mixed-gender women’s record of 2:18:47 in 2001; Paula Radcliffe lowered that mark to 2:17:18 in 2002; Brigid Kosgei Everything You Need to Know About the Chicago Marathon with a 2:14:04 in 2019, which stood as the world and course record until 2023 when Tigst Assefa set the WR in Berlin. Finally, in 2023, Kelvin Kiptum set a new men’s world best mark when he ran a time of 2:00:35.
The winners in 2023 for each race took home $100,000 for breaking the tape, while wheelchair division winners got $25,000 each. Chicago also offers a $50,000 bonus for runners who set the course record, and a $50,000 bonus for wheelchair athletes who do.
Health & Injuries:
- 2023: Kevlin Kiptum of Kenya (2:00:35), Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands (2:13:44)
- 2022: Benson Kipruto of Kenya (2:04:24), Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya (2:14:18)
- 2021: Seifu Turo of Ethiopia (2:06:12), Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya (2:22:31)
- 2019: Lawrence Cherono of Kenya (2:05:45), Brigid Kosgei of Kenya (2:14:04)
- 2018: Mo Farah of Great Britain (2:05:11), Brigid Kosgei of Kenya (2:18:35)
- 2017: Galen Rupp of USA (2:09:20), Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:18:31)
- 2016: Abel Kirui of Kenya (2:11:23), Florence Kiplagat of Kenya (2:21:32)
- 2015: Dickson Chumba of Kenya (2:09:25), Florence Kiplagat of Kenya (2:23:33)
- 2014: Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya (2:04:11), Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:25:37)
- 2013: Dennis Kimetto of Kenya (2:03:45), Rita Jeptoo of Kenya (2:19:57)
- 2012: Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia (2:04:38), Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia (2:22:03)
- 2011: Moses Mosop of Kenya (2:05:37), Ejegayehu Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:22:09)
