The field is set, now the training begins. Runners who entered the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon drawing were notified on Tuesday of their selection status to run the 40th annual race.
“We are excited to celebrate 40 years of history with runners from all over the world on October 8,” executive race director Carey Pinkowski said in a statement. “Since 1977, more than 700,000 people have crossed our finish line, and as we plan for next fall, we are energized by the runners who will begin their training journeys for 2017 today.”
Runners in the non-guaranteed entry drawing were randomly selected, while participants in five categories were eligible for guaranteed entry.
Guaranteed entries include participants who have run a marathon in less than 3 hours and 15 minutes for men and 3 hours and 45 minutes for women, runners who have completed five Chicago Marathons in the past 10 years, international tour groups, those who deferred their 2016 entries, and charity runners. [[396456231, C]]
Runners who did not receive an entry through the drawing can still sign up through a limited number of charity entries available through the marathon’s official Charity Program, which has raised more than $150 million for various causes since 2002.
“The Bank of America Chicago Marathon attracts runners from across the globe to Chicago, and we’re proud to welcome everyone to our hometown to experience this first-class race,” Bank of America Chicago president Paul Lambert said.
“We’re honored to host this annual event which has an enormously positive economic impact on the city, fosters much-needed support to a great number of charitable causes, and is a great occasion for everyone touched by the marathon experience,” he added.
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Participants who register to run with an official charity are required to raise a minimum of $1,500. For more information on official charities and registering through the Charity Program, visit the Chicago Marathon's website here.
