This is our third full day in Chicago and we got up early to watch the Chicago Marathon across the road opposite the hotel. At this point the athletes had completed approximately one mile. The first wheelchair athletes appeared just after 8 o'clock and it took 50 minutes for the whole field to pass us. Our hands were sore through applauding the participants and Alan gave a 'High-5' to one of the passing runners. Many supporters were ringing small bells and holding up placards.

After lunch we took the 90 minute 'Architectural Tour' with a commentary by a member of the Chicago Arctitecture Foundation.

http://www.architecture.org/

This is one of the many views of impressive skyscrapers that we saw from the boat.

This is the Sears Tower, the highest building in the US. There are plans to build one twice as tall.

Later in the afternoon we took a stroll along the Riverfront Walk and Randolph Street to Daley Centre Plaza where some children were making good use of this Picasso sculpture.

As we were returning to the hotel we saw the Loop Train, known as the El, which has an elevated track over some of the roads in the centre.

Today was dominated by the Chicago Marathon and we were amazed by the sheer number of participants. We saw many of them around the city wearing their medals once the race was over. We were impressed by the architecture of the buildings, early 20th Century to the present day, which were only fully visible from the river.