On Sunday, October 7, more than 35,000 runners will line up at the start line in Grant Park for the 43rd annual Chicago Marathon, a long-awaited race for many runners since the 2020 event was canceled due to a coronavirus outbreak

If you live locally, chances are you'll be somewhere near you to cheer them on from the sidewalks as the runners weave through 29 neighborhoods But even if you're not nearby, there are plenty of ways to track the runners from the comfort of your couch

The Chicago Marathon begins with the men's wheelchair race at 7:20 AM (CST) Spectators will not be able to watch the race in Grant Park, which is close to the start and finish lines, but they will be able to watch along the roadside

The easiest way to track specific runners participating in the Chicago Marathon is to download the official race app, available for free on iOS and Android To track a runner, simply visit the "Tracking" section of the app, which allows you to search for runners by name or bib number; there is no limit to the number of spectators tracking one runner, so bring the whole family!

To add a runner, click on the plus (+) symbol above the bib number If a runner is successfully added, a check mark will appear On Sundays, you will be able to view live updates on the runner's progress on the course Tracking will record the runner's time at every 5 km, at the halfway point, and at the finish line

From the app, runners can view their pace and splits, estimated finish time, and estimated finish time based on the time they started running You can also share your bib number with family and friends, view race photos, and create cheering cards

The app also offers a number of other extras to keep you entertained on race day, including elite runner profiles, interactive maps, weather updates, and more

If you accidentally add the wrong runner to your tracking, you can swipe left to remove them

If you would like to receive notifications of a runner's 262 mile race progress, you can turn on push notifications in the Settings section of the app You can also customize which side of the screen the countdown widget appears on and change the three quick links on the app's home page

The downside to the official Chicago Marathon app is that it can be a bit glitchy, as thousands of people will be using it on race day There are other ways to track runners with running watches, fitness trackers, and certain running apps

First, if the runner is wearing a Garmin running watch and carrying a smartphone, the runner can turn on live tracking through the Garmin Connect app on the smartphone This allows runners to share their live location with friends and family via email, Facebook, and Twitter The downside is that it relies on the smartphone's GPS signal, which can be unstable on race day and is not ideal for runners who leave their phones in their kit bagsThe Garmin Forerunner 245 LTE is also capable of live tracking and relaying the runner's position without a phone without a phone call

If the runner has an Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch Series 3 or later, they can share their live position prior to departure To do so, they must add you in the Find People app on their Apple Watch and tap "Share my location" Once they have selected you as a friend, you will be able to see their location for an hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely (depending on which option they choose, we recommend the middle option) Again, you will need to carry your smartphone with you unless the other person has the cellular version of the Apple Watch

Another app available for most modern Garmin running watches and Apple Watches newer than the Apple Watch Series 3 is Strava Beacon, which allows runners to send live tracking links to three different contacts live tracking links to three different contacts This is usually a safety feature of the app, but comes in handy on race day