by Race Results Weekly
This is the feature by Race Results Weekly on the 2022 Bank of America Chicago’s Marathon, which will be held on 9 October 2022. We used this with permission.
EXCELLENT WEATHER FORECAST FOR SUNDAY’S CHICAGO MARATHON
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2022 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
(07-Oct) — Organizers of Sunday’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon have one less thing to worry about as they make their final preparations for the 44th running of America’s second largest marathon: the weather. Weather forecasters say that after a cold Saturday, where temperatures will be just a few degrees above freezing at sunrise, conditions will be slightly warmer on Sunday with mostly sunny skies, right in the sweet spot for marathon runners and spectators alike.
“We’ll start out our Sunday with some sunshine,” NBC 5 meteorologist Pete Sack told his viewers this morning. “Temperatures will be in the mid-40’s in the city and eventually we’ll see those readings climb into the low-60’s by noon and mid-60’s later in the day.”
The temperature at the start at 7:30 a.m. is forecast to be 46F/8C. When the race winners cross the finish line in Grant Park, the temperature will be about 54F/12C. Runners will be avoiding a warm-up which takes place next week when on Tuesday and Wednesday temperatures will be in the 70’s, Sack said.
Because the Chicago Marathon takes place in early October –just 18 days after astronomical summer ended this year– the weather can be warm or even hot. In 2007, when the race was held on October 7, the start-time temperature was 77F/25C with high humidity, and rose to 80F/27C when the first man finished, Kenya’s Patrick Ivuti. Conditions were so punishing that the race had to be halted with three hours and 50 minutes showing on the race clock. About 11,000 runners were still in the course and had to make their way back to the finish area on their own.
In 2008, when the race was held on October 12, it was sunny and 64F/18C at the start with 75% humidity. Temperatures rose to 70F/21C by the time the first man finished and reached 75F/24C at the race‘s three hour mark. The high for the day was 84F/29C, a record for October 12. Under executive race director Carey Pinkowski, the race was more prepared for the heat, however, and had larger supplies of water on hand than they did in 2007.
In a complete turnaround, the start-time temperatures were near freezing one year later. The 2009 race was held on October 11, and when the start command was given the temperature was a chilly 36F/3C. It was also very windy.
“I get a lot of wind from 36 km,” said the late Sammy Wanjiru who won that year in a course record 2:05:41 (since broken). “I ran alone (and) the wind was very strong.”
While the women’s course and world record of 2:14:04 set by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei in 2019 is likely out of reach this year, the men’s record of 2:03:45 by Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto in 2013 is definitely a possibility. Seven men in the elite field have broken 2:05 during their careers.
