The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is just weeks away and as runners make their final preparations for the big event, so is Chicago.
Whether you’re running, cheering or just trying to get around, there’s plenty you should know ahead of race day.
Here’s what to expect:
When is the 2025 Chicago Marathon?
The Chicago Marathon returns on Oct. 12, “for the 47th running of one of the world’s most iconic road races.”
Meanwhile, the three-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo, hosted at McCormick Place, will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 9 and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 10-11.
On Oct. 11, Grant Park will host the Abbott Chicago 5k to kick off the day before the marathon.
What time is the Chicago Marathon?
The first racers will begin with the men’s wheelchair start at 7:20 a.m. on race day.
The race features both amateur and professional runners, and start times are staggered, so runners will cross the finish line at varying points throughout the day.
The course has a time limit of 6 hours and 30 minutes before the roads will re-open to vehicles. In order to complete the full distance, runners must maintain an average pace of 15 minutes per mile.
Here’s the full schedule:
- Men’s Wheelchair Start: 7:20 a.m.
- Women’s Wheelchair Start: 7:21 a.m.
- Handcycle Start: 7:23 a.m.
- Wave 1 Start: 7:30 a.m.
- Wave 2 Start: 8:00 a.m.
- Wave 3 Start: 8:35 a.m.
- Grant Park open for spectators: 9:30 a.m.
- 27th Mile Post-Race Party: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Beer tickets are on sale until 3 p.m. and can be redeemed until 3:30 p.m.)
2025 Chicago Marathon Course
The Chicago Marathon course is often recognized for being flat and fast, with the race starting and finishing in Grant Park and traveling through 29 city neighborhoods.
How can you watch the race live?
Extensive coverage of the Chicago Marathon begins at 7 a.m. on race day and can be viewed right here in the player above, as well as on NBC 5, NBC Chicago’s YouTube channel and on NBC Chicago’s 24/7 streaming channel, NBC 5 Chicago News, available on Peacock, Roku TV, Fire TV, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play, Local Now, Pluto, Google TV, TCL, Xfinity, and FreeVee.
An exclusive finish line camera will stream on NBCChicago.com and the NBC 5 Chicago News Streaming Channel from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to allow runners’ friends and family watch them finish the marathon live.
A Spanish-language broadcast of the race can be found on TelemundoChicago.com and in the Telemundo Chicago app.
Where are the best places to cheer?
Thousands of spectators will line the course to watch top athletes compete or cheer on loved ones as they complete the marathon.
Spectators will not be able to gather near the course’s start or finish lines, as those areas will be restricted to participants and ticketed guests. Still, fans are encouraged to cheer on athletes throughout the race.
“Words of encouragement and cheers of support from spectators have helped thousands of participants cross the finish line at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon,” reads the marathon’s website. “Your energy and inspiration make a difference!”
For spectators looking to join groups of fans while cheering on runners, the marathon has created several cheer zones throughout the course.
List of street closures
While the city has not yet put out the full list of street closures for the race, the marathon released the following anticipated closures:
| Street description | Anticipated closure | Anticipated opening | ||
| Balbo Dr.: Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. | 9/25/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/17/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Jackson Dr.: Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. | 10/9/25 | 10:00 a.m. | 10/14/25 | 6:00 a.m. |
| Balbo Dr.: Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr. | 10/9/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/13/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Columbus Dr.: Ida B. Wells Dr. to Balbo Dr. | 10/9/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/13/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Columbus Dr.: Balbo Dr. to Roosevelt Rd. | 10/9/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/13/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Columbus Dr.: Monroe St. to Jackson Dr. | 10/10/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Columbus Dr.: Jackson Dr. to Ida B. Wells Dr. | 10/10/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Congress Plaza Dr.: Michigan Ave. (Van Buren St. to Harrison St.) | 10/10/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Jackson Dr.: Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr. | 10/10/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Columbus Dr.: Randolph St. to Monroe St. | 10/11/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Roosevelt Rd.: Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. | 10/11/25 | 11:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Monroe St.: Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr. | 10/11/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Monroe St.: Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. | 10/11/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Mile | Description | Anticipated closure | Anticipated opening | ||
| 1 | Columbus Dr.: Start to Grand Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 10:30 a.m. |
| 1 | Grand Ave.: Columbus Dr. to State St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 10:30 a.m. |
| 2 | State St.: Grand Ave. to Jackson Blvd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 11:00 a.m. |
| 3 | Jackson Blvd.: State St. to LaSalle St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 11:00 a.m. |
| 3/4/5 | LaSalle St.: Jackson Blvd. to Stockton Dr. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 11:30 a.m. |
| 6 | Stockton Dr.: LaSalle Dr. to Fullerton Dr. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 11:45 a.m. |
| 6 | Fullerton Dr.: Stockton Dr. to Cannon Dr. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 11:45 a.m. |
| 7 | Cannon Dr.: Fullerton Dr. to Sheridan Rd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 7 | Sheridan Rd.: Diversey Pkwy. to Belmont Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:00 p.m. |
| 8 | Inner Lakeshore Dr.: Belmont Ave. to Sheridan Rd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:15 p.m. |
| 8 | Sheridan Rd.: Inner Lakeshore Dr. to Broadway | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:15 p.m. |
| 9 | Broadway: Sheridan Rd. to Briar Pl. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:30 p.m. |
| 10 | Broadway: Briar Pl. to Diversey Pkwy. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:45 p.m. |
| 10 | Clark St.: Diversey Pkwy. to Fullerton Pkwy. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 12:45 p.m. |
| 11 | Clark St.: Fullerton Pkwy. to Webster Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:00 p.m. |
| 11 | Webster Ave.: Clark St. to Sedgwick St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:00 p.m. |
| 11 | Sedgwick St.: Webster Ave. to North Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:15 p.m. |
| 12 | North Ave.: Sedgwick St. to Wells St. | 10/13/24 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:30 p.m. |
| 12 | Wells St.: North Ave. to Walton St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:30 p.m. |
| 13 | Wells St.: Walton St. to Wacker Dr. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:30 p.m. |
| 13 | Wacker Dr.: Wells St. to Adams St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 1:45 p.m. |
| 14/15 | Adams St.: Wacker Dr. to Damen Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:00 p.m. |
| 15 | Damen Ave.: Adams St. to Jackson Blvd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:00 p.m. |
| 15/16/17 | Jackson Blvd.: Damen Ave. to Halsted St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:30 p.m. |
| 18 | Halsted St.: Jackson Blvd. to Taylor St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:30 p.m. |
| 18/19 | Taylor St.: Halsted St. to Loomis St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 2:45 p.m. |
| 19/20 | Loomis St.: Taylor St. to 18th St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| 20 | 18th St.: Loomis St. to Halsted St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| 20 | Halsted St.: 18th St. to 21st St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:15 p.m. |
| 20/21 | 21st St: Halsted to Canalport Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:15 p.m. |
| 20/21 | Canalport Ave.: 21st St. to Cermak Rd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:30 p.m. |
| 21 | Cermak Rd.: Canalport Ave. to Wentworth Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:30 p.m. |
| 22/23 | Wentworth Ave.: Cermak Rd. to 26th St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 3:45 p.m. |
| 23/24 | 26th St.: Wentworth Ave. to Michigan Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:00 p.m. |
| 24 | Michigan Ave.: 26th St. to 35th St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:00 p.m. |
| 24 | 35th St.: Michigan Ave. to Indiana Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:15 p.m. |
| 24 | Indiana Ave.: 35th St. to 31st St. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:15 p.m. |
| 25 | 31st St.: Indiana Ave. to Michigan Ave. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:15 p.m. |
| 25/26 | Michigan Ave.: 31st St. to Roosevelt Rd. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 4:30 p.m. |
| 26 | Roosevelt Rd.: Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 a.m. | 10/12/25 | 6:00 p.m. |
| 26 | Columbus Dr.: Roosevelt Rd. to Finish | 10/09/25 | 4:00 a.m. | 10/13/25 | 3:00 p.m. |
What does the medal look like?
The 2025 medal was revealed Monday.
This year’s medal features designs on both the front and the back, with the front showcasing the city’s flag and skyline and the back showcasing an outline of the marathon’s course, along with a special nod for those running the Distance Series.
The Chicago Distance Series, according to organizers, is made up of three of the city’s biggest racing events: the Shamrock Shuffle 8K Run, Chicago 13.1 and Chicago Marathon. Those who run all three in the same year receive a unique medal and guaranteed entry into the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
“This will be waiting for you beyond the finish line on October 12,” the marathon wrote on social media.
Who’s running the marathon?
The marathon is once again expecting a record-setting number of participants for this year’s race, with more than 53,000 expected to toe the starting line.
Among those racing will be some of the world’s greatest marathoners, including three of the four past champions all vying for repeat titles and even a “Love Island USA” winner.
Marathon organizers also noted Conner Mantz will return in an attempt to break the American record, currently held by Khalid Khannouchi with a time of 2:05:38, set in 2002.
“With his performances in 2025, Mantz has shown he is the most legitimate threat to Khannouchi’s place atop the all-time list in more than a decade,” the Chicago Marathon said in a release.
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