The Chicago Marathon: It’s Back!

The 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (its official name) will take place this Sunday, October 9. If you’re traveling in and out of the South Loop, it’s best to leave early and come back late. Expect traffic detours, to accommodate the race, to cause some minor headaches. According to marathon organizers, 45,000 runners are registered for the 26.2-mile road race. There are runners from all 50 states and 109 foreign countries participating this year.

South Loop Drama
We love watching the Chicago Marathon as the runners come through the South Loop. With barely two miles left in the race, things can get pretty dramatic on S. Michigan Ave. around 18th and 16th streets. From 16th St., we saw last year’s winner, Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya, run by looking like he was running a 5K, not a marathon. Wanjiru died last May after falling off of a balcony in his home in Nyahururu, Nairobi, Kenya.

Weather Watch
The weather is expected to be warm with the temperature to be in mid-60s when the race starts at 7:30 a.m. It could reach 80 by noon, but it won’t be anything like the 90 degrees experienced in 2007 when 3 ½ hours into the race organizers canceled the event. Over 300 people were taken away for medical treatment on that day.

Course Race Views
We like to watch the race from 16th and S. Michigan. Where’s your favorite spot to watch the Marathon? To find a spot to watch the race check out the course map by clicking here.