Chicago Marathon bib tracking is ready for race day on Sunday, October 11, 2026, and fans can follow runners through the official app and the race’s results site. The 48th Bank of America Chicago Marathon starts in Grant Park, with the professional field leaving at 7:30 a.m. CT. Spectators can search by name or bib number, then watch runners move across the course in real time.
What Organizers Confirmed for Race Weekend
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of the eight Abbott World Marathon Majors. The 26.2-mile loop winds through 29 Chicago neighborhoods and finishes back in Grant Park.
Race week began Thursday, October 8, with packet pickup at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo inside McCormick Place. Runners collected their bibs and race packets there. The Abbott Chicago 5K followed on Saturday, October 10.
Tata Consultancy Services powers the official race app, which handles runner tracking. The race website also runs a tracking page and a live leaderboard.
How to Track a Runner by Bib Number or Name
Tracking takes about a minute once you have the right details. Follow these steps:
- Ask your runner for the bib number. A quick text or a photo of the bib works well.
- Download the free Bank of America Chicago Marathon app on iPhone or Android. Organizers released the 2026 version ahead of race day.
- Open the tracking section and search by bib number or name.
- Add your runner to your follow list.
- Open the interactive course map to see where your runner is.
Bib numbers beat names every time. Several runners can share a name, but each bib number belongs to one person.
You can follow more than one runner at once. That feature helps groups of friends, family members, and charity teams who want everyone on a single screen.
What the Official App Offers Spectators
The app does more than show a moving dot. Organizers and local coverage list these tools for 2026:
- Live tracking for runners and walkers
- An interactive course map
- Real-time results and leaderboards
- Professional athlete profiles
- Live broadcast streaming
- Real-time weather
Together, those features help spectators decide when to leave a viewing spot and where to catch a runner next. Download the app before race morning so you can set up your list without rushing.
Race Day Start Times
Organizers publish every start in Central Time and note that times can change. The Eastern column below converts each start for viewers across the country.
| Start | Central Time | Eastern Time |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s professional wheelchair | 7:20 a.m. | 8:20 a.m. |
| Women’s professional wheelchair | 7:21 a.m. | 8:21 a.m. |
| Handcycle | 7:23 a.m. | 8:23 a.m. |
| Men’s and women’s professional start | 7:30 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| High Performance Program | 7:32 a.m. | 8:32 a.m. |
| Wave 1 | 7:35 a.m. | 8:35 a.m. |
| Wave 2 | 8:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| Wave 3 | 8:35 a.m. | 9:35 a.m. |
Start corrals and gear check opened at 5:30 a.m. CT. Later waves cross the start line after the official wave time, so a runner’s first tracking update may arrive later than the table suggests.
How to Watch the Race Live From Home
Chicago Marathon coverage pairs well with live tracking. You can watch the leaders on screen while you follow your own runner on your phone.
- TV: NBC 5 Chicago, Telemundo Chicago, and TeleXitos carry the race live in English and Spanish from 7 to 11 a.m. CT.
- Streaming: The live stream runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT at nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com. It also streams on the NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago apps, plus the stations’ Roku and Apple TV channels.
- Peacock: The NBC Chicago channel on Peacock streams the race for viewers nationwide.
- Radio: 670 The Score Sports Radio broadcasts from 7 to 11 a.m. CT, and the free Audacy app lets fans listen from anywhere.
The finish-line camera stays on after the main broadcast ends. NBC adds four more hours of finish-line coverage online, which helps if your runner finishes later in the morning.
Elite Runners Worth Following in the App
Professional athlete profiles live inside the app, so you can follow the front of the race too. Several names stand out in the 2026 field.
- Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda): The defending men’s champion owns a personal best of 2:00:28 from the London Marathon on April 26, 2026. That time ranks third fastest in history.
- Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia): The defending women’s champion returns to the course where she set her 2:14:57 personal best in 2025.
- Brigid Kosgei (Kenya): She broke the world record in Chicago in 2019 and lines up again this year.
- Charles Hicks (USA): He ran 2:04:35 at the Boston Marathon on April 20, 2026, the second-fastest marathon by an American citizen.
- Galen Rupp (USA): The 40-year-old Olympian was the last American to win Chicago, in 2017.
- Emma Grace Hurley (USA): She makes her marathon debut after finishing fifth in the half marathon at the World Road Running Championships on September 20.
Searching these names in the tracking tool shows live splits as they run.
Smart Tips for Tracking Friends and Family
A few habits make bib tracking smoother for everyone cheering on the course.
- Save the bib number twice. Keep it in your notes app and in a text thread with your runner.
- Charge your phone fully. Tracking, maps, and photos drain batteries quickly during a long morning.
- Expect small delays. Updates arrive as runners cross timing points, so the dot may jump between updates. Treat it as a guide rather than an exact location.
- Use the CTA. Race officials recommend Chicago Transit Authority trains for moving around downtown, since roads along the course close.
- Pick viewing spots with the course map. Check the map, then choose a spot that leaves enough time to reach the next one.
- Plan for crowds. Cell service may slow near busy spots, so loading the app before you leave home helps.
Fixing Common Tracking Problems
Chicago Marathon bib tracking works best when you enter the number exactly as printed on the bib. One wrong digit can pull up a stranger, so compare the name on screen with your runner’s name before you add anyone to your list.
If a search comes up empty, try these quick fixes:
- Recheck the number. Confirm the digits with your runner before race morning, not during the race.
- Try the full name. Search with the legal first name and last name as registered, not a nickname.
- Wait a few minutes. Runners in later waves reach the start line well after their wave begins.
- Refresh the app. Close it, reopen it, and check your follow list again.
- Use the website. The race results site has its own tracking page, which works as a solid backup.
Estimate Your Runner’s Finish Time
Pace teams give spectators a helpful shortcut. Marathon veterans lead groups at goal finish times from 2:55 up to 6:00, including 4:00, 4:30, and 5:00 marks.
If your runner follows a pace group, you already know the target finish. Compare that goal with the splits you see in the tracking tool. A runner who stays ahead of the goal pace may reach Grant Park sooner than expected, so leave extra time to get to the finish area.
Meeting Your Runner After the Finish
Grant Park opens to spectators at 9:30 a.m. CT. The 27th Mile Post-Race Party in Butler Field runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and welcomes the public.
Organizers set up Runner Reunite inside the party. Red alphabetical towers from A to Z mark meeting spots by last name. Pick a letter with your runner ahead of time and meet inside Butler Field instead of crowding the party entrances.
Allow extra time. Organizers estimate the walk from the finish line to the party can take 30 minutes or longer, because runners collect their bags from gear check along the way. Set a backup meeting point in case you cannot find each other in Grant Park.
With a saved bib number, a charged phone, and the official app, you can follow your runner from the first mile to the final stretch down Columbus Drive.
Tracking a runner at the Chicago Marathon today? Drop their name and your best viewing spot in the comments, and keep checking back for more race-day updates.