So. The Chicago Marathon happened on Sunday, October 12, 2025. While it’s fun for many, it can also cause a lot of distress for others. As someone who lives downtown, it gets pretty overwhelming very quickly. Like many large-scale events, people flock to the city from all around the world. I’m not going to lie, this marathon means nothing but inconvenience for myself, but I do respect all those that enjoy these types of events. For others like myself, here are some tips to avoid the chaos that comes with the Chicago Marathon. As a note for those who may actually enjoy the marathon, these tips may save you from other large events such as Lollapalooza or C2E2.
- Check the map ahead of time. I made the mistake of going to the West Loop to return my roommate’s keys after getting locked out the night before and was forced to run for my life across the marathon twice. It for sure upset many runners and I felt so bad having to Crossy Road my way through the streets.
- The few days before, avoid downtown and public transit (maybe even regular driving) as much as you can. The number of out-of-towners around made it impossible to navigate through the streets without being bumped into by so many people.
- If you’re allergic to literally anything (airborne-wise), don’t take public transit. I was stuffed into a train car and I saw five or six people eating granola bars stocked full with nuts.
- Pickpocketting is going to increase in large groups, so keep track of your things as well as you can. I suggest a bag you can keep all your valuables in and in front of you (fanny packs or shoulder bags). Keep everything zipped up and don’t put anything in your back pockets.
- Don’t even try to make reservations at a restaurant. Basically every restaurant will be booked up for the two days before, the day of, and the two days after. I work at a restaurant and we had more reservations than chairs in the restaurant. Our sister restaurant was even busier, as we are the pizzeria restaurant and they are the pasta-serving restaurant. Carbo-loading is NO JOKE. If you’re working at a restaurant, expect these people to not spend any money on alcohol before the marathon. A lot of these runners aren’t American either, so don’t expect good tips either (it’s not their fault, most countries don’t have tipping culture).
Again, I feel the need to restate that these tips are for those who hate crowds, who hate inconveniences, and, most importantly, hate running. For anyone excited about the next marathon in the following years, I respect and fear you.