2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

This Sunday, October 12, 2014, around 45,000 participants will run the streets of Chicago in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish their personal dreams. The Chicago Marathon has been around since 1905. That first race was run on Saturday, September 23, 1905, which began in Evanston and finished in front of a standing-room-only paying crowd at Washington Park race track.

Some runners will finish the race in two hours. In order to do that, they will be running at the speeds of 12.5 mph for a constant two hours. Luckily there will be 200 students from the Chicago Cortiva Institute offing complimentary massage therapy. This will go on between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The massage tent will be located within the 27th Mile Post-Race Party (Southwest corner, adjacent to the Petrillo Band Shell).

This year's event times:
Marathon Wheelchair - 7:20 a.m.
Marathon Handcycle – 7:21 a.m.
Athletes with Disabilities – 7:22 a.m.
Wave 1 – 7:30 a.m.
Wave 2 – 8:00 a.m.

(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

After the race and 27th Mile party, Bank of America is offering runners and guests with free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. This will continue until October 13, if participants show runners bib, finisher’s medals or registration confirmation.

Many celebrities have participated in the marathon. Some of them do it for publicity, others for the sake of blending in and being apart of the race. Here are some celebrity marathoners, with the races they ran and their times.

Sean Astin, Chicago, 2013: 4:31:05
Pamela Anderson, New York, 2013: 5:41:03
Gordon Ramsay, London, 2012: 4:26:21
Apolo Ohno, New York, 2011: 3:25:12
Mark Messier, New York, 2011: 4:14:27
Jared Fogle, New York, 2010: 5:13:28
Tammy Duckworth, Chicago, 2009: 2:34:52; 2011: 2:09:26
Edward Norton, New York, 2009: 3:48:01
Ryan Reynolds, New York, 2008: 3:50:22

Katie Holmes, New York, 2007: 5:29:58

Sean "Diddy" Combs, New York, 2003: 4:14:52

Will Ferrell, Boston, 2003: 3:56:12

Anthony Edwards, Chicago, 2003: 3:55:40; 2001: 4:04:55; 1999: 4:13:07
Bill Rancic, Chicago, 2001: 4:31:31
Al Gore, Marine Corps, 1997: 4:58:25
Oprah Winfrey, Marine Corps, 1994: 4:29:15
George W. Bush, Houston, 1993: 3:44:52

Since the terrible event that happened at the Boston Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has put together an emergency alert system to keep everyone safe. This is taken form the website itself.

"A color-coded Event Alert System (EAS) will communicate the status of course conditions to participants leading up to and on race day. The levels range from Low (green) to Moderate (yellow) to High (red) to Extreme (black) based primarily on the weather, as well as other conditions.

• Email and website communication during race week will inform participants of the current Event Alert System status and provide preparation tips based on advance weather forecasts.
• Updates will be made at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo via handouts at the participant packet pick-up area and public address announcements.
• On race day, the current Event Alert System status will be communicated via public address announcements and color-coded signs/flags at the start and finish areas, and along the course at each of the 20 aid station locations and via large digital traffic message boards.

All participants should familiarize themselves with the Event Alert System prior to the race, remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day."

Event Alert System table:

This year we hope for a safe and fun event. We wish all the participants good luck. If you are running or just spectating we would love to hear your story and experience.