This year’s internationally recognized Bank of America Chicago Marathon, part of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors series, will take place on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The series now includes eight marathons: Tokyo, Boston, London, Cape Town, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.
Founded in 1977, the Chicago Marathon has welcomed more than one million runners across its finish line. The 2026 race will feature the largest field in the event’s history, with more than 55,000 participants expected to take to the streets of Chicago.
The men’s and women’s professional race is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Chicago time. As in previous years, runners from Serbia will once again have a notable presence.
A Serbian Cheer Station and Belgrade Marathon booth will therefore be organized in downtown Chicago.
It will give members of the Serbian community an opportunity to gather and show their support for the runners.
The cheer station will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Representatives of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, Serbian associations and organizations, supporters, and Serbian and American media are expected to attend. DJ Boom and other performers of Serbian music will help set the atmosphere.
The Serbian Cheer Station and Belgrade Marathon booth will be located at 744 N. Wells Street.
How the Starting Waves Work
With more than 55,000 participants expected, the Chicago Marathon uses a staggered starting system. The professional field starts at 7:30 a.m., followed by the High Performance Program at 7:32 a.m. Wave 1 begins at 7:35 a.m., Wave 2 at 8:00 a.m., and Wave 3 at 8:35 a.m.
The three waves are divided into start corrals designed to manage the large field safely and efficiently.
- Wave 1 includes Corrals A–E, with accepted marathon qualifying times through 3:35:59.
- Wave 2 includes Corrals F–J, with qualifying times from 3:36:00 to 4:19:59.
- Wave 3 includes Corrals K–N, for runners with expected finish times from 4:20:00 to 6:30:00.
Wave 1 and Wave 2 corrals are assigned based on accepted qualifying times, while Wave 3 corrals are based on expected finish times.
Complete Start Schedule in Chicago Local Time
- 5:30 a.m. – Grant Park gates, gear check, and start corrals open
- 7:20 a.m. – Men’s Professional Wheelchair Start
- 7:21 a.m. – Women’s Professional Wheelchair Start
- 7:23 a.m. – Handcycle Start
- 7:30 a.m. – Men’s and Women’s Professional Start
- 7:32 a.m. – High Performance Program Start
- 7:35 a.m. – Wave 1 Start
- 8:00 a.m. – Wave 2 Start
- 8:35 a.m. – Wave 3 Start
The official schedule notes that times are subject to change.
