By Car, By Train, or By Bike and Scooter: Three Ways to Spectate the Chicago Marathon

I’ve run the Chicago Marathon five times since 2002, but cheered even more often—and so has my husband Matt, who’s a semi-pro spectator at this point. (And hugely helpful in crafting this plan; in fact, we’ve even written a guide to spectating.) Thanks to a looped course, an orderly street grid, and the city’s extensive public transit system, it’s possible to see runners multiple times whether driving, taking the train, or biking.How to Track Your RunnerNo matter how you plan to navigate Chicago, you’ll need the Chicago Marathon app, which offers real-time race-day tracking and a detailed course map. Provided you can get reception, you’ll see exactly where your runner is on the course with astonishing accuracy. (Free for iOS, Android.) You can search for runners by bib number or name, and star them in advance for easy access later.The stops below are designed to give you enough time to spot your runner at any location, even for runners on the faster side of average—say, a 3:45 marathon. However, if you’re spectating someone like Clayton Young—who’s targeting the American marathon record of 2:04:43 in Chicago this year—you might need to pick fewer viewing points or move a lot more quickly.General rules of marathon spectating apply—the brighter your colors and your runner’s, the better. Consider bringing a flag, balloons, or other colorful items even a fatigued marathoner can spot from far away. And make sure you explain beforehand where you’ll be, including which side of the street.The Chicago Marathon website has good spectator info, if you want to craft your own plan—or, just follow one of these. (Click the links on each suggested stop to pull up a Google Map if you’re on the move.)By TrainThe elevated “El” train has sections that run above and underground, allowing you to bypass race-day street closures. Here’s what you need to know:Train fare is $2.50 each way; the best value is a $5 day pass. Vending machines at stations sell passes; you can also pay as you go using mobile apps or contactless bank cards, or order a reloadable Ventra card online in advance and connect it to your credit card.Lines are designated by colors—the Red Line and Brown Line travel north and south; the Blue Line runs northwest and west from downtownHelpful app: Transit (Free, iOS, Android) provides point-to-point directions, arrival times for each train, and even a map of each line that shows where every train is currently located. You can also find Lime scooters and docking stations for Divvy, the city’s bike-sharing program—more on all those in a minute.The Plan by TrainSpot 1 (Between Miles 1-2): Start downtown at the intersection of Dearborn Street and Wacker Drive, on the west side of Dearborn. Your runner should look nice and fresh passing south, so tell him or her to look for you on the right side of the street and then snap a photo with the iconic Chicago Theater sign as a backdrop.Spot 2 (Mile 3): Walk three blocks west on Wacker Drive to see runners heading back north on LaSalle Boulevard; again, you’ll be on their right. (Note: If your runner is clocking fast times, say 6-minute miles, you might want to skip this second viewing and head straight to the next spot.)Spot 3 (Mile 9): Walk one block south to Lake Street, and then one block back east on Lake Street, to the Clark and Lake train station, entering on the north side of the street. Board the Brown Line north, to Kimball. You’re heading to the Lakeview neighborhood, a little to the south of Wrigley Field and near the northernmost section of the course. Go eight stops and get off at Belmont, then walk a half-mile east on Belmont Avenue to Broadway Street. Runners are heading back south to downtown; you’ll be on their right. If you prefer a rowdier crowd and have time, walk a couple blocks north. This is where the Frontrunners, Chicago’s LGBTQ+ running club, have stages set up to host boisterous performances (think a military-style drill team, drag-queen cheerleaders, and dancers).Spot 4 (Mile 17): Head back to the Belmont Station, but get on the Red Line heading south, to 95th/Dan Ryan. After seven stops, at Jackson, transfer to the Blue Line to Forest Park. Go three stops to the UIC-Halsted stop, and walk west along the platform to take either the Peoria Street or Morgan Street exit. Do not exit at Halsted. Walk one block north on either Morgan or Peoria Street to Jackson Boulevard, and you’ll see runners heading east. You’ll be on their right. (Super speedy runners might beat you to this point—if so, move on to the next step.)​Spot 5 (Mile 23): Get back on the Blue Line, heading to O’Hare, and go three stops. At the Jackson stop, transfer back to the Red Line south to 95th/Dan Ryan. Get off after five stops, at the Sox-35th stop, and exit at 35th Street. Head east two blocks to Michigan Avenue. This is one of the least populated areas, spectator-wise, so your runner will be especially glad to see you on the right side.The Finish: Get back on the Red Line north, to Howard. If you want to give the finish a shot, get off after two stops, at Roosevelt, and head straight east toward the Museum Campus/Grant Park. Otherwise, go one more stop to Jackson and head east. Pass through the pedestrian gate—it’ll be labeled “Gate 1”—and you’ll eventually hit runner reunite in Butler Field, where runners will gather under letters representing their last names. (Tip: even if your last name’s Brown or Smith, there’s usually a smaller crowd by letters like Q and Z, so coordinate this with your runner ahead of time).By CarSpectating on four wheels works best if you have someone to drive, drop you off, and search for parking—but it’s still possible alone.Helpful apps:ParkChicago to pay parking meters by credit card and extend your time without heading back to your car. (Free, iOS, Android).SpotHero to search for, compare prices, and pay in advance for garages and other non-public parking. (Free, iOS, Android). Scope out marathon parking online in advance with the app’s handy marathon page, overlaying lots with the course map.The Plan by CarThe Plan by Bike and ScooterDivvy is the bike and scooter share system for Chicago. Here’s what you need to know:Spot 1 (Mile 2.2): Start downtown at the southwest corner of LaSalle and Jackson. It’s easiest to get there via the CTA LaSalle Blue Line stop or the Quincy Brown/Orange/Pink Line Stop. You are on the runners’ left side.Breakfast: Fuel up for the journey. Walk west on Jackson about .3 miles to Lou Mitchell’s at 565 W. Jackson. You can walk from Spot 1. They have great omelets, and if there is a line for a table, they give you a delicious doughnut while you wait.Spot 2 (Mile 14): From breakfast, the pace picks up! Walk to the corner of Adams and Jefferson. You’re on the runners’ left.Spot 3 (Mile 18): Walk west to Desplaines and pick up a Divvy Bike on the northeast corner of Desplaines and Jackson. Ride south down Desplaines to Roosevelt, turn right on Roosevelt, and ride just past Halsted; you’ll see a Divvy station on your right, on the north side of the street. Drop off your bike (make sure you push it securely into the dock until the green light illuminates), then walk back to Halsted and turn left, going one block north to Taylor Street. You are on the runners’ left.Spot 4 (Mile 20): Open the Divvy or Lime app and search for a nearby scooter or undocked ebike. Ride one block west to Morgan Street, then turn south on 18th Street—when you get to 18th Street and Morgan, you’ll be on the runners’ left. If there is no scooter or ebike nearby, you can go back to the Divvy station at Halsted and Roosevelt, then ride to the station at 18th and Morgan (it’s on the northwest corner, so you’ll be able to deposit or pick up a bike as runners stream by in front of you).Spot 5 (Mile 21.5): Pick up a Divvy bike at 18th and Morgan, go north on Morgan to 16th Street and turn right. Head east on 16th Street, turn right on Canal, then left on 18th Street. Ride about .4 miles to Wentworth, then turn right. At Cermak, you will arrive at the course, on the runners’ left.Spot 6 (Mile 25): Head east on Cermak Street about a quarter-mile to Michigan Avenue. You will be on the runner’s left.Finish Line! Head west to State Street, then ride north to Harrison and drop your Divvy. If you have time and want to brave the finish line, walk or run south to Roosevelt Road and east to the finish line. Or, go straight east through gates 6 and 7 to runner reunite at Butler Field.Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. She’s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.