Chicago Marathon 2022: Route, Course Map, Times, Road Closures, Event Details

One of the world's most picturesque marathons will get underway Sunday as the Chicago Marathon returns for its 44th running.

The field size for this year's race is 44,000 participants, all of whom will wind 26.2 miles through the streets of Chicago near the city's famed lakefront and venturing west toward the United Center.

The course, which starts and ends at Grant Park, has little elevation and is known to run fast, so many participants will be looking to set personal records (PRs).

This year's race is historic in that it's only the second major marathon to offer a nonbinary division; the New York City marathon became the first to do so last year. The Boston and London Marathons in 2023 will do the same.

The marathon begins at 7:20 a.m. CST, with the men's wheelchair race and the final wave of runners setting off at 8:35 a.m.

Here's everything you need to know to follow the 2022 Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

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2022 Chicago Marathon

Date: Sunday, Oct. 9

Time:

• 7:20 a.m.: Men’s wheelchair
• 7:21 a.m.: Women’s wheelchair
• 7:23 a.m.: Handcycle
• 7:30 a.m.: Wave 1 (red)
• 8 a.m.: Wave 2 (blue)
• 8:35 a.m.: Wave 3 (orange)
• 9:30 a.m.: Spectator access to Grant Park begins

TV: NBC 5 Chicago, Telemundo Chicago (Spanish)

Live Stream: nbcchicago.com, telemundochicago.com

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Given that the Chicago Marathon winds through the heart of downtown, there are understandably many streets that will be affected by closures, many of which began in the days leading up to the marathon.

The race begins in Grant Park at the intersection of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street, and the finish line is on Columbus Drive south of Balbo Drive.

On marathon Sunday, the major streets that will be affected by closures include those situated in the Loop, South Loop, West Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Douglas and Armour Square, but the official number of neighborhoods through which the route will pass is 29.

The Chicago Marathon official account tweeted out an interactive race route:

The road closures that will be in effect Sunday are below.

• Michigan Avenue from Madison Street to 9th Street: 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 4 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Columbus Drive from McFetridge Drive to Roosevelt Road: 4 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Michigan Avenue from 9th Street to Roosevelt Road: 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Columbus Drive to Grand Avenue: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Grand Avenue from Columbus Drive to State Street: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• State Street from Grand Avenue to Jackson Boulevard: 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Jackson Boulevard from State Street to LaSalle Street: 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• LaSalle Street from Jackson Boulevard to Stockton Drive: 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Stockton Drive from LaSalle Drive to Fullerton Drive: 7 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• Fullerton Drive from Stockton Drive to Cannon Drive: 7 a.m. from 11:45 a.m.
• Cannon Drive from Fullerton Drive to Sheridan Road: 7 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• Sheridan Road from Diversey Parkway to Belmont Avenue: 7 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• Inner Lakeshore Drive from Belmont Avenue to Sheridan Road: 7 a.m. to noon
• Sheridan Road from Inner Lakeshore Drive to Broadway Avenue: 7 a.m. to noon
• Broadway Avenue from Sheridan Road to Briar Place: 7 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Broadway Avenue from Briar Place to Diversey Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
• Clark Street from Diversey Parkway to Fullerton Parkway: 7 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
• Clark Street from Fullerton Parkway to Webster Avenue: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
• Webster Avenue from Clark Street to Sedgwick Street: 7 a.m. 12:45 p.m.
• Sedgwick Street from Webster Avenue to North Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• North Avenue from Sedgwick Street to Wells Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Wells Street from North Avenue to Walton Street: 7 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Wells Street from Walton Street to Wacker Drive: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Wacker Drive from Wells Street to Monroe Street: 7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Monroe Street from Wacker Drive to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Halsted Street from Monroe Street to Adams Street: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Adams Street from Halsted Street to Damen Avenue: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
• Damen Avenue from Adams Street to Jackson Boulevard: 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
• Jackson Boulevard from Damen Avenue to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Halsted Street from Jackson Boulevard to Taylor Street: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Taylor Street from Halsted Street to Loomis Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Loomis Street from Taylor Street to 18th Street: 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• 18th Street from Loomis Street to Halsted Street: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Halsted Street from 18th Street to 21st Street: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• 21st Street from Halsted Street to Canalport Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Canalport Avenue from 21st Street to Cermak Road: 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Cermak Road from Canalport Avenue to Wentworth Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Wentworth Avenue from Cermak Road to 26th Street: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• 26th Street from Wentworth Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• Michigan Avenue from 26th Street to 35th Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• 35th Street from Michigan Avenue to Indiana Avenue: 7 a.m. 4 p.m.
• Indiana Avenue from 35th Street to 31st Street: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• 31st Street from Indiana Avenue to Michigan Avenue: 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
• Michigan Avenue from 31st Street to Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Roosevelt Road from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Road: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The official Chicago Marathon account tweeted out a photo of this year's medal:

Spectators aren't able to see runners off at the start line or greet them directly at the finish line, but the best place to watch runners triumphantly end their race is at Bank of America Cheer Zone at Mile 26, the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road.