Just looking at the Strava on some of my mates that ran the race and the gain is almost 1000 feet throughout the course of the marathon. There don't appear to be any major climbs but the course looks like it moves slightly up and down throughout the race? Can anyone confirm their experience on the course? I know World Records go to die in Berlin but race organizers also invest in that with a small field and pacers versus paying out a bunch of runners for good competition.
What if Chicago only invited 5 big names on each side and brought pacers back? I know Chicago has a bunch of turns but it only gains 200 or 300 ft per Strava. Would that not be a better place to run fast? Might London or Rotterdam be faster?