INDUSTRY NEWS - CHICAGO MARATHON REGISTRATION OPENS FEB. 1
By David Monti
(c) 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission

Online registration for the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, part of the World Marathon Majors series, will open to the public beginning at midnight (CST) on Feb. 1 at www.chicagomarathon.com, event organizers announced today.  The race does not use a lottery.  Instead, entries will be available to the first 45,000 runners who register.

"We are proud to continue the tradition of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, one that brings its participants, spectators and the city of Chicago such a memorable and rewarding experience," said David Rudis, Bank of America Illinois President, in a prepared statement.  "This event unites people in a unique and lasting way making it a perfect fit for Bank of America’s continued commitment to the communities we serve."

The flat Chicago course is the fastest record-standard course in the United States, home of both the men's and women's USA all-comer records: 2:05:42 by Khalid Khannouchi in 1999 and 2:17:18 by Paula Radcliffe in 2002.  The race is also the second-largest in the the United States behind the ING New York City Marathon; last year's race had 33,033 starters and 31,401 finishers. 

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 11, beginning and ending in Grant Park.

ENDS