Where to watch the Chicago Marathon 2026

Sun, Oct 11 · Grant Park · Waves 7:35, 8:00, 8:35 AM

The Chicago Marathon starts and finishes in Grant Park and runs through 29 neighborhoods, north to Lakeview, west through the West Loop and south to Bronzeville. These are the places to cheer along the way, with their cheering hours and the nearest L stop.

Open the cheer map

Cheer zones by neighborhood

Lincoln Park

Mile 5

8K Mark

Mile 5 · Official cheer zone · 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Sedgwick (Brown), 13 min walk

Spectators cheer runners through Lincoln Park at the 8K mark of the course.

Lakeview

Mile 8.8

Frontrunners Chicago

Mile 8.8 · Cheer station · 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Nearest L: Belmont (Red and Brown), 12 min walk

Old Town

Miles 11 to 11.8

Endorphins

Mile 11 · Cheer zone · 7:15 AM to 10:00 AM

Nearest L: Sedgwick (Brown), 5 min walk

Big Aussie

Mile 11.8 · Cheer squad · 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Nearest L: Clark/Division (Red), 4 min walk

River North

Mile 12

STORM

Mile 12 · Cheer station · 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Nearest L: Chicago (Brown), 5 min walk

The Loop

Miles 13.2 to 13.3

Bank of America Tower

Mile 13.2 · Official cheer zone · 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Washington/Wells (Brown, Orange and Pink), 5 min walk

Halfway Point

Mile 13.3 · Official cheer zone · 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Washington/Wells (Brown, Orange and Pink), 4 min walk

West Loop

Miles 14.7 to 16

Charity Block Party

Mile 14.7 · Official cheer zone · 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Racine (Blue), 6 min walk

lululemon

Mile 16 · Cheer station · 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM

Nearest L: Racine (Blue), 9 min walk

Near West Side

Miles 16.6 to 16.8

HOKA x Peace Runners 773

Mile 16.6 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Nearest L: Racine (Blue), 4 min walk

Team Y

Mile 16.8 · Cheer station · 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Nearest L: UIC-Halsted (Blue), 6 min walk

Little Italy

Miles 17.5 to 17.8

UIC

Mile 17.5 · Cheer zone · 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Nearest L: UIC-Halsted (Blue), 8 min walk

EDGE

Mile 17.8 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM

Nearest L: UIC-Halsted (Blue), 11 min walk

Pilsen

Miles 18.9 to 20.5

Read & Run Chicago and Family Style RC

Mile 18.9 · Cheer zone · 5:15 AM to 2:30 PM

Nearest L: 18th (Pink), 13 min walk

Sosa Collective

Mile 19.6 · Cheer section · 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 20 min walk

Chingonas Run Chicago

Mile 19.75 · Cheer station · 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 20 min walk

3RUN2

Mile 20 · Cheer squad · 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 16 min walk

Venados

Mile 20.2 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 13 min walk

Movement Es Medicina

Mile 20.5 · Cheer squad · 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 12 min walk

Heartbreak

Mile 20.5 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 11 min walk

Chinatown

Miles 20.75 to 22

Run Too Hard

Mile 20.75 · Cheer zone · 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Nearest L: Halsted (Orange), 11 min walk

Native Women Running Cheer Station and Safe Space Hub

Mile 20.9 · Cheer station · 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Nearest L: Cermak-Chinatown (Red), 13 min walk

Shokz

Mile 22 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 1:40 PM

Nearest L: Cermak-Chinatown (Red), 13 min walk

November Project Chicago

Mile 22 · Cheer station · 8:00 AM to 2:15 PM

Nearest L: Cermak-Chinatown (Red), 13 min walk

Bronzeville

Miles 22.5 to 24.2

One Tail at a Time

Miles 22.5 and 24.2 · Rescue mile · 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Nearest L: Cermak-McCormick Place (Green), 17 min walk

OT OnTrK Running

Miles 22.5 and 24.1 · Cheer station · 7:30 AM to 2:15 PM

Nearest L: 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green), 18 min walk

BD82

Miles 22.6 and 24 · Cheer station · 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Nearest L: 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green), 15 min walk

GRC Run Club

Mile 23.4 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green), 4 min walk

Demon Hours

Mile 23.8 · Cheer zone · 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Nearest L: 35th-Bronzeville-IIT (Green), 13 min walk

South Loop

Mile 26

Michigan Ave and Roosevelt Rd

Mile 26 · Official cheer zone · 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Nearest L: Roosevelt (Red, Green and Orange), 5 min walk

Questions

When is the Chicago Marathon 2026?

Sunday, October 11, 2026, in Grant Park. Wave 1 starts at 7:35 AM, Wave 2 at 8:00 AM and Wave 3 at 8:35 AM, Chicago time.

Where can I watch the Chicago Marathon?

Race Together maps 30 places to cheer along the course, from 8K Mark in Lincoln Park (mile 5) to Michigan Ave and Roosevelt Rd in South Loop (mile 26). The most are in Pilsen (7) and Bronzeville (5).

When will my runner pass each cheer zone?

It depends on their wave and finish time. Open the cheer map, set both, and every zone shows when they'll pass. For example, a runner in Wave 2 on pace for a 4h finish reaches halfway (mile 13.1) at about 10:00 AM.

How do I get around on race day?

Take the L. Each cheer zone in this guide lists its nearest L stop and about how long the walk is, and the cheer map can show the L lines and stations.

Can I see my runner more than once?

Yes. The course passes 3 places twice: One Tail at a Time (miles 22.5 and 24.2), OT OnTrK Running (miles 22.5 and 24.1) and BD82 (miles 22.6 and 24).

Is Race Together the official Chicago Marathon site?

No. Race Together is an independent spectator map, not affiliated with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. For road closures and race-day updates, see chicagomarathon.com.

Open the cheer map