Chicago Marathon 2020 leaves Grant Park empty but offers runners options; businesses missing financial boost

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Tens of thousands of runners would typically be flooding Chicago's Grant Park on marathon weekend, but that's not happening this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chicago Marathon has gone virtual like so much else in 2020.

But race organizers are still offering runners a way to pick their distance and submit results for a medal.

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And some runners are still racing Sunday to raise awareness and money for various causes. Charity runners raised around $27 million last year.

Randy Burt, 72, already crossed his personal finish line, keeping up his streak of now participating in all 43 Chicago marathons.

Chicago businesses are certainly missing the influx of crowds, too. Typically, marathon weekend brings in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact.