How Will the New Chicago Marathon Qualifying Times Change Your Odds of Running the Race?
An analysis of the new standards based on data from finishes across all US marathons in 2023
Recently, the Chicago Marathon announced that it would use a new set of qualifying times starting in 2025.
Across the board, the standard is getting tougher. This is no doubt a response to both the increased demand for the race and the increased speed of runners.
Chicago saw a record number of applicants this year (120,000), while the NYC Marathon had 165,000 applicants (more than any year but 2020).
And in my previous articles, I’ve analyzed data that’s shown runners in American marathons have been getting increasingly fast. So it stands to reason that more runners are qualifying for guaranteed entry.
Some were quick to point out that the new Chicago qualifying times are tougher than the Boston qualifying times — but that may not last long. The same pressures applying to Chicago and New York are also happening to Boston — which saw a record 33,000 qualified applicants this year.
