03/08/13
by WGN Web Desk
Sign up for the chicago marathon lottery is now closed.
Organizers say 36,000 people entered. Only 15,000 will be chosen.
If your name is chosen in the drawing you’ll find out on Tuesday.
Those lucky athletes have until March 14th to submit their paperwork and race entry fee.
The Bank of America Chicago marathon is October 13.
03/05/13
by WGN Web Desk
If you still want to run in the Chicago Marathon, you better hurry up to get in the draw.
Registration for the final 15,000 spots in the lottery opened at midnight.
You can sign up on the marathon’s website to get in the lottery: lottery.chicagomarathon.com
You have until 9 p.m. Thursday to submit your entry.
If you’re selected, you’ll be notified next Tuesday.
Those athletes will have until March 14th to complete their official registration and turn in their race entry fee.
03/05/13
by WGN Web Desk
Runners who couldn’t sign up for a spot in this year’s Chicago Marathon because of a computer glitch will now have another shot via a lottery. 
Technical problems on the marathon’s website last month forced registration for October’s big race to be suspended.
As a result, 15,000 open slots were left in limbo.
But now marathon officials have come up with the lottery option to fill out the big race.
Name entries will be able to be submitted at the marathon’s website.
Starting Tuesday at midnight through 9 p.m. Thursday, March 7.
Those selected will be notified next Tuesday and then have until March 14 to complete their official registration and turn in their race entry fee.
Officials say entry time or order won’t affect chances of selection.
To register, go to: lottery.chicagomarathon.com
02/28/13
by Tom Negovan
The Bank of America Chicago marathon doesn’t run until October, but it’s already running into some problems
Year after year, it’s a world-class event, showcasing Chicago to the world. Thousands of runners from all over pour into town and hit its streets.
But this year, it hit a big snag right out of the gate. A computer crash during online registration on Feb 19, left thousands of would-be marathoners out in the cold.
30,000 managed to sign-up before registration was shut down completely, leaving 15,000 spots.
The marathon needed a solution. It went with a lottery.
According to a statement on the Chicago Marathon’s website, registration will reopen at 12:01 a.m. CST on Tuesday, March 5 as a lottery. It will remain open until Thursday, March 7, at 9 p.m.From those entries, 15,000 names will be randomly selected to fill the remaining spots in the Chicago Marathon. Individuals who are selected will be notified on Tuesday, March 12, and will have until 9 p.m. CST on Thursday, March 14, to officially register.
For more lottery details and Q&A, go to: www.chicagomarathon.com/lottery.
Also, if you did register for the Chicago Marathon and did not receive a confirmation email, you can confirm your registration at chicagomarathon.com/confirmation.
“What we wanted to do was date access for the remaining 15,000 entries that just eliminated the stress. That was fair and equitable,” said Carey Pinkowski, of Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
But on-line reaction ranges from angry to really angry.
People hit Facebook to talk about their training and travel plans, now not knowing if they’ll even get to run. One commenter says it should be first come, first served, “you know- like a race.”
Again the websites are:
www.chicagomarathon.com/lottery.
chicagomarathon.com/confirmation
02/21/13
by WGN Web Desk
If you are hoping to run in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, there will soon be a clearer timeline for registration.
The website crashed within minutes of accepting applications on Tuesday at noon.
Next Thursday at 3 p.m., marathon officials will announce what they call an equitable plan for how and when they will re-open registration.
If you would like to receive an email when this announcement is made, log on to www.chicagomarathon.com/registrationupdate.
02/20/13
by Gaynor Hall
Reporter
02/20/13
by Gaynor Hall
Reporter
Officials have suspended registration for the 2013 Chicago Marathon due to technical problems with their website.
On the race’s official Facebook page reads: “We are incredibly sorry that runners interested in signing up for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon experienced such difficulties today. We have been working nonstop with our registration provider to find the root of the problem and a solution. Many runners were able to sign up before the registration process was suspended. There are currently 15,000 entries remaining. Before we re-open registration, we need to make sure all technical issues are permanently resolved. We will provide ample notice regarding when the registration process will re-open.
We do not plan on reopening registration within the next two days. We will provide another update on registration by 5 p.m. Central Standard Time on Thursday.”
Shortly after registration opened at noon on Tuesday, would-be marathoners reported long delays on the Chicago Marathon’s registration page. Some even reported not being able to register at all.
The race is so popular it usually gets filled up within days.
Last year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon sold out in six days with 45,000 people taking part in it.
The race will be held on October 13th this year. Entry fees are $175 for U.S. runners.
Officials suspended registration for the 2013 Chicago Marathon due to technical problems with their website.
The marathon can accommodate 15,000 more participants, and officials have decided to select those participants using an online lottery system.
