The Chicago Marathon runs as a city loop, starting and finishing in Grant Park. The course passes through a long succession of city neighborhoods, from the Loop out to residential areas on the west and south sides, all on pavement. Elevation change is almost nonexistent: Chicago is known for one of the flattest courses on the international circuit.
The race belongs to the Abbott World Marathon Majors and draws a deep elite field every year, with crowd support that holds up from start to finish. One distance is offered, the marathon.
