The Chicago Marathon is a glorious and festive fall event for many, especially the estimated 1.7 million spectators who don’t have to break a sweat. For others running, the 26.2-mile course, can be grueling and painful.The 48th running of the Chicago Marathon kicks off this year on Sunday at 7:20 a.m. It starts and finishes in Grant Park.Information for participants and spectators, including schedules and logistics, can be found at ChicagoMarathon.com, Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism agency and the Sun-Times.Many things make the marathon distinctive, as well as one of the biggest events on Chicago’s tourism calendar, according to Choose Chicago.Here are some highlights:How many people will participate this year?More than 55,000 participants are expected for this year’s race, say organizers, who expect it to be the largest field ever. Over 200,000 applied to join the 2026 race.The Bank of America Chicago Marathon continues to grow. Last year, it drew 55,744 participants, a 4% increase from 2024. In 2023, it counted 48,472 finishers and 45,932 in 2019. The 2020 race was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Chicago marathon is the fourth largest in the world in terms of finishers, based on races from 2024 to 2026, according to Marathon Handbook. The top five are London (59,830 finishers), New York City (59,226), Paris (55,499), Chicago (54,351) and Berlin (54,280).Why is the course appealing to runners?The marathon is a scenic tour through 29 of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. It also starts and ends Downtown, which is more convenient than races where participants are transported 26 miles away and wait hours for the race to start, often before dawn.And because it’s a flat course, the Chicago Marathon is known as a fast race. It’s a prime choice to reach personal records or try to qualify for the elite Boston Marathon, the country’s oldest marathon.For the 2027 Boston Marathon, the top five most popular qualifying races were the 2026 Boston Marathon (4,448 entrants), followed by last year’s Chicago Marathon (2,043 entrants), the New York City Marathon (826 entrants), the California International Marathon (812 entrants) and the 2026 London Marathon (610 entrants), according to the Boston Athletic Association.What else is distinctive about the Chicago Marathon?It is one of eight Abbott World Marathon Majors — some of the largest and most renowned marathons globally. They include Tokyo, Boston, London, Cape Town, Sydney, Berlin, New York City and Chicago.Participants who run one of the eight races are eligible for a global ranking in a championship marathon, held in Tokyo in 2027. Runners who compete in any of more than 375 qualifying marathons worldwide (including the Majors) can also qualify for the championship race.Where do Chicago Marathon participants come from?This year, more than 75% of participants will travel from outside of Illinois. They hail from all 50 states and more than 130 countries. The top source countries outside the U.S. are the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada and Brazil.The U.S. states with the most participants are Illinois, New York, California, Massachusetts and Texas. The top cities are Chicago, New York, London and Boston. Runners jog along the LaSalle Street Bridge in The Loop, as onlookers cheer, during the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times file What’s the economic impact of the Chicago Marathon?In terms of tourism, the Chicago Marathon is a major economic driver for the city. In 2025, the Chicago Marathon injected nearly $756 million into the Chicago area’s economy, representing a 7.5% increase over the 2024 race, according to an economic impact study.Many residents and business owners consider the marathon less of an inconvenience than other big events that create more traffic disruptions, noise and safety issues like the NASCAR Chicago Street Race or the Democratic National Convention. The marathon is an economic boost for Downtown Chicago, which like many city centers across the U.S. hasn’t recovered fully from the COVID-19 pandemic.“Marathon weekend is one of the most important dates on the calendar in Chicago,” Rich Gamble, then-interim CEO of Choose Chicago, said in 2024.This year, more than 20,000 international participants are expected.In 2024, 35% of Chicago Marathon participants were international. “This is hugely beneficial for our local tourism and hospitality industry as overseas tourists tend to stay twice as long and spend twice as much as domestic visitors,” a Choose Chicago spokesperson said.Whether big-name events really benefit greater Chicago or line organizers’ pockets is also a common debate. However, the Chicago Marathon boosts business in many neighborhoods along its route where spectators turn out.What’s the history of the Chicago Marathon?The first race was held Sept. 25, 1977. More than 4,200 runners gathered at Daley Plaza for the Mayor Daley Marathon, making it the largest marathon in the world at the time in terms of registered runners. However, just 2,128 finished the race.As Chicago’s first marathon kicked off, the ceremonial starter’s cannon misfired into the crowd, injuring two spectators. "Ironically, the two burned were the wife and daughter of Wayne Goeldner, an original race founder," according to race organizers. "Despite the accident, the event ran very smoothly and, as advertised, was an event for the whole city to enjoy."How much do Chicago Marathon participants raise for charity?In 2025, athletes raising money for the marathon's official charity program raised a record $47.1 million for local, national and global nonprofits. This year, about one-third of participants are expected to fundraise for charity.Last year, Jim Preschlack of Lake Forest became the top fundraiser in the Chicago Marathon’s history. He raised $335,665 for lung cancer research at Northwestern University in honor of his wife, Paula, who was diagnosed with lung cancer last year.Who are the elite runners in the Chicago Marathon this year?2025 Chicago Marathon winners Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda and Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia will return for this year’s race. Kiplimo won last year’s Chicago Marathon in the men’s division with a time of 2:02:23. In the women’s division, Feysa won with a time of 2:14:56, a personal best.Conner Mantz shattered a long-standing American record with a time of 2:04:43.Other professional athletes in this year’s marathon include Sharon Lokedi, Brigid Kosgei, Amos Kipruto and American Charles Hicks.What are course records for the Chicago Marathon?In 2023, Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya finished in 2:00:35 in the men’s division.In 2024, Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya finished in 2:09:56 in the women’s division, according to race organizers. ...read more read less