Chicago Marathon 2018 (Oct 7th) DIS Meet Race!

[FFigawi]

You’d think, right? But that stupid stadium doesn’t even have a concourse that goes around the stadium! You can’t get to one sideline to the other without having to scan OUT of the stadium and walk around outside. So dumb.

Since they held one at Fenway, I think it's only a matter of time before Jerry hosts one in his place.

 

[rteetz]

She's also a packers fan which I don't want to talk about.

YES!

 

[daisyamy]

Where do you end up staying? When were you able to make your hotel reservations? Any other insider tips for a first time runner at Chicago?

I stayed on the Magnificent Mile with family (my parents) who flew in for the race as well. It was my first marathon so they were pretty excited too! We stayed at the Conrad Chicago, which also happened to be a block from the Nike store that sold official race gear in addition to the expo. I was about 1.25 miles away from my recommended gate entrance, which honestly wasn't a bad walk in the morning. It was a good way to get my legs moving in the morning. Plenty of other runners walked to the start too.

I think we made our hotel reservations about 5-6 months before the race. I also booked my flights about 4 months prior. I'm sure it was a bit more expensive to stay where I was, but I liked the fact that I could walk to the start and not worry about taking a train. Although, I don't think the trains would have been a problem since the Chicago transit was running plenty of trains in the morning.

I went to the expo on Friday and I recommend going then. I took one of the free shuttles that the expo provided to high density areas (like the magnificent mile).

If anything else comes to mind I'll definitely post it here

 

[rteetz]

I haven't been to Chicago during marathon weekend but stayed in the Hyatt Regency on Wacker. It was very nice. Not sure how it is compared to everything else.

 

[DopeyBadger]

@Anisum, I added you to the interested.

If there are really that many of us serious about running ... I wonder if there are any perks we would get by establishing ourselves as an official "run club". I actually have the information on how to do this for RunDisney and thought about broaching the subject with a group on here, just because run clubs get an allotment of bibs for races with more flexible terms (similar to charities and TAs), but I kinda forgot about it when I decided to take a break from RunDisney in 2018.

Were you able to find any information on this for Chicago?

 

[Anisum]

@Anisum, I added you to the interested.

I have been called out!

I need a confirmation of purple before I even consider it. I really doubt I will be able to do this though.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I think I'm going to submit an application for the lottery. I figure I have nothing to lose and a full marathon is becoming my A goal for 2018.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I think I'm going to submit an application for the lottery. I figure I have nothing to lose and a full marathon is becoming my A goal for 2018.

 

[courtneybeth]

Application is thrown in for Berlin, so if this works out correctly I'll have these race weekends: Berlin Full, Disneyland Paris Half, Recovery Weekend, Chicago Marathon. Fingers crossed I get pulled for both!

 

[roxymama]

I'm on the mailing list now for Team Girls on the Run. So if the odds aren't in my favor that may be my backup. Just a way more expensive backup.

 

[camaker]

Application is thrown in for Berlin, so if this works out correctly I'll have these race weekends: Berlin Full, Disneyland Paris Half, Recovery Weekend, Chicago Marathon. Fingers crossed I get pulled for both!

Thanks for posting! I didn't realize registration was open for Berlin. My name is in the hat now, as well.

 

[courtneybeth]

Thanks for posting! I didn't realize registration was open for Berlin. My name is in the hat now, as well.

Fingers crossed you get pulled!!!!!!

 

[DVCFan1994]

Did everyone see they are changing the qualification standards for next year? I’m wondering how that will change the number of lottery spaces?

Here’s the chart in case you haven’t seen it.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Did everyone see they are changing the qualification standards for next year? I’m wondering how that will change the number of lottery spaces?

Hard to say definitively. My guess would be that it would diminish the number of available lottery spots. But the question then becomes how many of those previously lottery entries are now just switched to qualifiers? The pool of applicants seems consistent at about 71000 in 2014 and 2015 (couldn't find stats for 2016 or 2017) and the number of runners is consistent at 45000. So the odds of applicant vs runner is about 63% regardless of auto qualifying.

So a math guess:

So if the same pool of 71,000 applies, my guess is that more people will gain entry via qualifying and lower the odds of the lottery. But since the disparity is still 26,000 (between applicants and runners), the odds via the lottery will still be good. Before the qualifiers were top 5% overall (3:15) and now it's top 10% of age group (based on the numbers above). So maybe of the 55,000 previous lottery entries, another ~6,000 will gain qualifier status. Add that to the previous 16,000 from charity and auto and you get 22,000 auto qualifiers for 2018. There are now 23,000 spots (45000-22000) for 49,000 lottery entires (55000-6000). This places the odds at 47% instead of 50%. This is all just a guess though. It will be interesting to see the numbers at the end.

You could argue though that the number of applicants might go up since other auto qualifiers who weren't interested in applying for the lottery may now be interested since they get a guaranteed entry. Then the above math would be even less accurate.

 

[roxymama]

You could also argue that the only reason they would do something like this is because they are worried about the trend across the last couple of years of runners per race declining and they are getting out ahead of that. If they are anticipating less people wanting to put their names into the lottery, then a good start would be to open up more spots to guaranteed entry.
So will there be less runners overall or more runners now because of their smart move to bump up the guaranteeds? I guess we just wait and see and us lotto kids anxiously worry about it for a few months.

 

[ZellyB]

You could also argue that the only reason they would do something like this is because they are worried about the trend across the last couple of years of runners per race declining and they are getting out ahead of that. If they are anticipating less people wanting to put their names into the lottery, then a good start would be to open up more spots to guaranteed entry.
So will there be less runners overall or more runners now because of their smart move to bump up the guaranteeds? I guess we just wait and see and us lotto kids anxiously worry about it for a few months.

This was my thought as well. All the races are starting to see decreases, I think. I just hope whatever it does, that it doesn't hurt my chances at the lottery now that I've finally decided to go for it.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Pretty sure Chicago was the last marathon major to go to a qualifier/lottery for the 2014 race...up until then it was first come first registered. I was part of the last free-for-all registration in 2013 and there were major server issues and they closed registration very shortly after it opened to try to solve the mess.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I'll find out in 10 days if I'm accepted!

 

[roxymama]

Just saw this and it's pretty cool. Too bad I've only done two of these, but I plan to make it my annual start of my season going forward. Just posting it here in case any other Chicagoan who's done a lot of shuffles is interested.

If you have run the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K four or more times since 2008 and have signed up for the 2018 Shamrock Shuffle you can guarantee your spot in the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

• You must have run the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K four or more times since 2008.
• You must be signed up for the 2018 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K to be eligible for a guaranteed entry into the 2018 Chicago Marathon.
• If you aren’t signed for the 2018 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K, you can register at shamrockshuffle.com.
• This opportunity is available to first 1,000 participants who apply and qualify based on the standards above.

Submitted applications will be reviewed and verified by the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Upon verification (within seven business days), if your entry is approved, you will be notified via email and the entry fee will be automatically processed.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Just saw this and it's pretty cool. Too bad I've only done two of these, but I plan to make it my annual start of my season going forward. Just posting it here in case any other Chicagoan who's done a lot of shuffles is interested.

If you have run the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K four or more times since 2008 and have signed up for the 2018 Shamrock Shuffle you can guarantee your spot in the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

• You must have run the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K four or more times since 2008.
• You must be signed up for the 2018 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K to be eligible for a guaranteed entry into the 2018 Chicago Marathon.
• If you aren’t signed for the 2018 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K, you can register at shamrockshuffle.com.
• This opportunity is available to first 1,000 participants who apply and qualify based on the standards above.

Submitted applications will be reviewed and verified by the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Upon verification (within seven business days), if your entry is approved, you will be notified via email and the entry fee will be automatically processed.

Saw that too and thought of you...