01 · Published anchor
Expo
Confirm the final hall, opening hours, ID, and authorization rules in the official runner guide before traveling across the city.
Chicago Marathon · October 2026
The expo
Major weekend operating notes
02 · Timing
Earlier beats closing hour
Leave room for queues and a transit mistake. Do not build an arrival plan that depends on the final pickup window.
03 · Taper discipline
Nothing new on race day
Treat the expo as a logistics stop. Shoes, gels, and gear bought there are for later unless already tested.
Bib pickup is at the expo — there's no race-morning bailout, so don't fly in too late. Go early on the first day if you can; the last afternoon before Chicago Marathon is a crush.
Buy nothing you haven't already tested. The expo is built to sell you new shoes and gels two days before a race, which is exactly when you shouldn't change a thing.