Chicago Marathon
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Bank of America Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026. The event offers multiple entry paths, including guaranteed entries, a non-guaranteed drawing, official charity team entries and tour operator packages.
Guaranteed entry options include time qualifying based on age and division, a High Performance Program with specific standards and a legacy finisher path for athletes with five or more Chicago Marathon finishes in the last ten years. Time qualifiers must submit a verifiable marathon result from January 1, 2024 or later on a certified course. The High Performance Program had a capacity of 150 participants and the application for it closed.
Charity program entries require fundraising; participants are required to raise no less than $2,200 (USD). Tour operators manage their own packages and only operators approved by the event have access to guaranteed entries. The application window for general guaranteed or non-guaranteed entries closed in November 2025, and limited entries for 2026 were available through the official charity and tour operator programs.
Event requirements include a minimum age of 16 on race day, parent or guardian permission for 16- and 17-year-olds, and an overall course time limit of six hours and 30 minutes and 59 seconds for the 26.2-mile distance. Entry fees listed for 2026 were $250 (USD) for US residents and $260 (USD) for non US residents; a processing fee is applied to all entry fees. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
