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[ Wire ] · Dispatch · Aug 18

How to Track a Runner at the Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon App, powered by Tata Consultancy Services, is the race's official tool for tracking runners. It's a free download for iPhone and Android, and organizers say it includes everything a spectator needs to plan a race-week and race-day experience around following someone on the course.

How do I track a specific runner?

Open the app's tracking section and search for your runner by name or bib number, then add them to follow along on the interactive course map as they move through the city. You can track more than one runner at a time, which matters on a course that draws groups of friends and charity teams together. The 2026 version of the app becomes available in advance of race day, so it's worth downloading it during race week rather than waiting for the morning of.

What can I see once I've found them?

The app captures a runner's time at every 5K, at the halfway point, and at the finish, so you can see how their pace is holding up against their goal and get a read on when they'll reach the next spot to cheer from. It also estimates their expected finish time based on how they've split so far, which makes it easier to plan where to stand rather than guessing from their goal pace alone.

What else should I know before race day?

The Chicago Marathon runs on Sunday, October 11, 2026. If you're the one racing rather than spectating, how to get into the Chicago Marathon covers the lottery and other entry routes, and Chicago Marathon lottery odds breaks down your actual chances for a future edition.

Sources: Bank of America Chicago Marathon: Spectator Information, NBC Chicago: 2025 Chicago Marathon runner tracking

Sources Bank of America Chicago Marathon App details from the organizer's own spectator information page; tracking mechanics from NBC Chicago's 2025 race-day coverage (both accessed August 18, 2026).