Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2020: cancelled edition
The 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon never started: organisers cancelled the race over COVID-19 and gave entrants a refund or a deferral to 2021, 2022 or 2023.
The 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with organisers and the City of Chicago citing the challenge of safely staging an event of its scale. Registered participants were offered a choice: a full refund of their entry fee, or deferral of their place and entry fee to a future Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2021, 2022 or 2023.
What made 2020 notable
There is no 2020 Chicago result to report: the race was cancelled over COVID-19 before it could run. The decision wiped out what would have been the 42nd edition, scheduled for 11 October 2020 on the famously flat, fast loop through the city's neighbourhoods. Organisers gave the tens of thousands of registered runners a clean choice, a full refund or a deferral of their place and entry fee to the 2021, 2022 or 2023 race. Chicago was not alone. Boston, Berlin, New York and Tokyo all lost or reshaped their 2020 editions. The course that so often produces records sat empty, and the next real Chicago Marathon would not arrive until October 2021.
Applications over time
Time qualifier standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:15:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:40:00 | 4:15:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:55:00 | 4:30:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
| 80-84 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 85-89 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 90+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
Questions about the 2020 ballot
Was the 2020 Chicago Marathon held?
No. The 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and did not take place.
When was the 2020 Chicago Marathon supposed to be held?
It was scheduled for Sunday, 11 October 2020, but the race was cancelled before that date.
What did registered runners get after the 2020 cancellation?
Entrants could take a full refund of their entry fee or defer their place and fee to a future Chicago Marathon in 2021, 2022 or 2023.
When did the Chicago Marathon return after 2020?
The race returned on 10 October 2021 with a reduced field and COVID-19 health requirements, including proof of vaccination or a recent negative test.