2025 Chicago Marathon - Client Portal

Last updated October 14, 2024

The most important/recent updates, if any, will be listed here.  Everything else will be listed below.

We will do our best to keep you up-to-date with everything so that you have a stress-free weekend, but ultimately it is up to each runner to read and understand each component of their trip and understand all of the information provided by the Bank of America Chicago Marathon here.

Typically by August the BACM will send out their Participant Guide. Once available, please take time to review this document prior to race weekend. The participant guide includes everything you will need to know to have a successful race experience, including schedules, policies and detailed information on the weekend’s events.  Click here for the 2024 Participant Guide as an example only.

RACE DATE
October 13, 2024

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
It is up to each person to ensure they meet all travel requirements, including but not limited to vaccine status, passport validity, travel visas, etc.

YOUR BOOKING DETAILS
Everyone will receive their booking details which lists your hotel, hotel address and dates of stay in January or February.  It is critical that you ensure that everything is correct and as early as possible to avoid issues.

HOTEL CHANGES/DATES OF STAY CHANGES
Group hotels will only let you change/alter the nights you wish to stay up until 60 days prior. We will always do our best to help, but ultimately it is up to the hotel to decide.

RACE BIB COLLECTION
Each runner must pick up their own bib at the race expo using either their driver’s license or their passport.  There is no race day bib collection.

RACE EXPO
The race expo will be at McCormick Place
Where: 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive
When:
Thursday Oct 10 from 11AM – 6PM
Friday Oct 11 from 9AM – 6PM
Saturday Oct 12 from 9AM – 6PM
*dates and times are subject to change

Click here for more information on the expo.

PARTICIPANT GUIDE
The 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon participant guide will be available online next year, probably around July or August. Please take time to review this document prior to race weekend. The participant guide includes everything you will need to know to have a successful race experience, including schedules, policies and detailed information on the weekend’s events.

As part of our ongoing sustainability efforts, the participant guide will be available in a digital-only format this year.

Click here for the 2023 guide to get an idea of what the 2024 guide will be like.

SIX START PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS w/ ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS
Any runner who is completing their Six Star journey must have a complete profile on the Six Star website, claim all previous results and register no later than 14 days before the sixth race.  If you fail to do this, you will NOT receive the Six Star medal at the finish line.

Please click here to register or access your runner portal and complete the “Set for No.6” section.

DREAM TRAVEL REPS
Dream Travel reps will be onsite all weekend long.

EMERGENCY CONTACT
In case of an emergency only, you can call us on the office cell number which will be provided a few days before your arrival in Chicago.

If it is not an emergency, please email.

Offline Maps
It’s recommend that you download an offline map of Chicago so that you are able to search for directions upon arrival, even if you don’t have WiFi.  Services like Google Maps works well for offline maps.

Getting to the group hotel from Chicago O’Hare ORD Airport
You can take take a taxi/Uber/Lyft from the airport to the hotel.  For public transportation, please use Google Maps or the likes for up-to-date directions

The Group Hotel
Our group hotel is the brand new Residence Inn Magnificent Mile (opens May 2024) which is located at 101 E Erie Street, Chicago. Every room has a kitchen and both breakfast and WiFi is included! The hotel is roughly 2KM from the start line and 2.5KM from the finish line..

Checking in to Your Hotel
As this is a group booking, no booking number/reference is required. Simply check in by name, with ID and with a credit card for incidentals.

Getting to the Marathon Start
We purposely chose the hotel that we did so that you can walk to the start area and back from the finish area.
Running with Someone Else
If you and your running partner(s) have been separated by waves or corrals, you may not move backwards in the corrals like other races.

FINISH LINE VIEWING
Invite your friends and family to cheer you on as you make the turn onto Columbus Drive in the final stretch of the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. New this year, spectators can purchase East Side Viewing tickets to access an exclusive spectator viewing area at the finish line. Tickets are $20 per person. Youth eight years of age and younger will be able to access the East Side Viewing Area for free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. For more information visit chicagomarathon.com/marathonstore.

Getting to the Expo
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offers an economical and convenient way to get to and from the Health & Fitness Expo. Learn more about CTA fares and transit directions to McCormick Place.

Visit transitchicago.comOpens a Dialog for information on CTA fares and transit directions to McCormick Place.

GETTING TO THE RACE START
Our group hotel is situated an easy, 30 minute walk to the start/finish area of the marathon which is a great way to stretch your legs before the marathon and more importantly, after!  However, if you would prefer to take public transportation, that’s an option as well.  Please use Google Maps or the likes to plan your journey and be sure to have a form of payment as public transportation is not free for runners.

START WAVES and CORRALS
When you arrive at the start area, look for your corral. You may be scanned with a wand before being allowed into the staging areas, so be sure to only bring what’s permitted.

Your corral information will be available to you via your participant account and when you pick up your bib at the race expo.

Once you determine where you should be, you can take some time to eat, use the washrooms, or just sit and relax.

WAVE STARTS
As there will be 45,000+ runners and to alleviate the strain of having everyone start at the same time, the Chicago Marathon will be run in waves.

You will each be assigned a Wave Start based on your estimated completion time and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will email you your wave closer to the event.

Wave Starts are as follows*

Wheelchairs         7:20AM
Wave 1 (red)         7:30AM
Wave 2 (blue)      8AM
Wave 3 (orange) 8:35AM

*Times are subject to change.

No one is permitted to change waves or corrals unless you first got it approved by the Chicago Marathon and prior to their cutoff (usually August).  Wave changes are only permitted for fast runners with proven times.

THE COURSE
Click here for extensive information on the race course, as well as a map.

GETTING BACK TO THE HOTEL AFTER THE MARATHON
Use the following link for walking or taking public transportation back to the hotel. Grant Park, Chicago, IL, USA to Residence Inn Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile – Google Maps

PERSONALIZE YOUR SHIRT
Are you interested in having spectators personalize your run? Write your name on your race shirt (or masking tape) in large letters across your chest and people will call out to you and encourage you as you run!

HOTEL BREAKFAST and WiFi
Breakfast and WiFi is included with your package

COMMEMORATIVE WALL PLAQUE
Everyone who finishes the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will receive a Chicago Marathon commemorative wall plaque!
Our handmade, wood plaques are proudly made in Canada by a local Albertan artist and are the size of a dinner plate with a diameter of 10 inches! Each one will have a keyhole on the back for hanging and are available only to Dream Travel runners that complete the marathon.
Plaques will be shipped out a week or two after the marathon.

Friday, October 11

-Check into the hotel.
-Go to the Race Expo early to avoid the long lineups and especially if you want to purchase items as they will sell out certain sizes!

 

Saturday, October 12

Abbott 5K Paid Run
What:   A paid 5K race through the Chicago Marathon website
When:   7:30AM
Where:  Columbus Drive in Grant Park. Click here for the race map.
Who:    Anyone who pre-paid for this event.

Click here for more information on this event.

 

Dream Travel Free Group Run
What:   A casual, slow 5K jog with Dream Travel
When:   10AM
Where: Meet us in the lobby of the hotel a few minutes before 10AM.
Who:    Anyone/everyone

This will be a ‘run at your own pace’ group run, but we’ll run slow and easy.

Meet and Greet
When:   12PM – 2PM
Where: Group hotel – 19th Level, Atrium
Who:    Anyone/everyone
This will be a casual get together, meet up and Q and A’s


Sunday, October 13

Race Day!  Be sure to get to the race start early enough to find your wave and corral!

After Party
When:   7PM
Where: 101 Club, 101 Sky Terrace, group hotel – Ask for Dream Travel group
Who:     Anyone/everyone 18+
To avoid potential issues, this is an unofficial “meet us here if you want” evening to celebrate your achievement.