Chicago Marathon Medal Engraving: Celebrating Every Finish Line at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
There's something truly special about the energy in Chicago on marathon weekend. The streets are filled with runners from around the world, thousands of spectators line the course, and the entire city comes together to celebrate determination, perseverance, and some pretty incredible accomplishments. The 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon brought more than 55,000 runners to Chicago on October 11, making it an especially exciting weekend to celebrate the dedication and accomplishments of marathon finishers.
For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of providing live medal engraving at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel during the Chicago Marathon weekend. And I have to say, this has quickly become one of my favorite events of the entire year. As a professional Chicago calligrapher and live event engraver, I've personalized everything from luxury perfume bottles and whiskey bottles to luggage tags, leather goods, and corporate gifts. But there's something different about engraving a marathon medal.
Every single medal represents a story and adding a personal touch to that story is an honor I don't take lightly.
More Than Just a Medal: A Memory Worth Preserving
For many runners, completing the Chicago Marathon is the culmination of months—or even years—of hard work. Early morning training runs. Long weekends spent logging miles. Sacrifices, setbacks, injuries, and countless moments when giving up might have seemed easier than continuing. And then, finally, 26.2 miles and a finish line. That medal represents all of it. During our live engraving activation at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, runners had the opportunity to make their medals even more meaningful with custom hand engraving. Whether it was their name, finishing time, or another short personalization, each engraving transformed an already special medal into a truly one-of-a-kind keepsake. I love knowing that years from now, someone might pull that medal out of a drawer, see the engraving, and remember exactly how they felt crossing the finish line in Chicago. That's the kind of work that makes me love what I do.
A Second Year of Live Medal Engraving at the Chicago Marathon
Returning for a second year made this event even more meaningful. One of my favorite things about working in live event calligraphy and engraving is developing relationships with clients who invite me back year after year. It means so much to know that the experience we created together was memorable enough to do it again. The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, located along Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago, provides a beautiful setting for welcoming marathon runners and celebrating their accomplishments. Of course, marathon weekend also comes with its own unique logistical challenges. Between road closures, crowds, traffic, and thousands of people moving throughout the city, getting downtown with engraving equipment requires a little extra planning! But once everything is set up and the runners start arriving, it's all worth it.
Hundreds of Medals, Hundreds of Stories
One of the things that makes live event engraving so exciting is that you never quite know what to expect.
Some activations are relaxed, with guests stopping by occasionally throughout the afternoon. Others are nonstop from beginning to end. This year's Chicago Marathon engraving event was definitely the latter!
Over the course of approximately three hours, we personalized around 225 marathon medals. That's a lot of engraving in a very short amount of time! Interestingly, the first hour was relatively quiet. But as more runners began arriving after the race, the demand picked up dramatically. Before long, we had a steady stream of finishers eager to have their medals personalized. In fact, the response was so enthusiastic that we eventually had to stop accepting additional medals around 2:00 PM to ensure we could finish the ones already waiting. It's a great reminder that no two live events are exactly alike, even when you're returning to the same location for the same occasion. And while engraving hundreds of medals in just a few hours certainly keeps me on my toes, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd much rather be busy than bored!
The Art of Live Marathon Medal Engraving
Hand engraving is a little different from traditional machine engraving. Instead of placing an item into a machine and pressing a button, I use a handheld engraving tool to carefully personalize each piece.
Every letter is created by hand. That means each medal receives individual attention, and every finished piece has the subtle character and charm that comes with handcrafted artwork. Working live also means balancing precision with efficiency. When you have hundreds of excited marathon finishers waiting, you need to work quickly without sacrificing quality. Over the years, I've developed techniques and systems that allow me to personalize items efficiently while maintaining the beautiful, professional results my clients expect. From luxury retail events to high-volume corporate activations, experience makes a tremendous difference. And events like the Chicago Marathon are a perfect example of why.
Why Live Engraving Is Perfect for Sporting Events and Corporate Activations
While I frequently work with luxury brands, department stores, and private clients, live engraving is also a wonderful addition to sporting events, conferences, and large-scale celebrations. There's something special about watching an artist personalize an item right in front of you. It creates an experience rather than simply handing someone a gift. For marathon runners, custom medal engraving offers a meaningful way to commemorate their accomplishment. For brands, hotels, sponsors, and event organizers, live personalization creates an opportunity to connect with guests in a memorable and authentic way.
It can also encourage guests to spend more time at an activation, interact with the hosting brand, and leave with something they'll genuinely treasure. And unlike many promotional items that eventually get tossed aside, a personalized marathon medal is something a runner is likely to keep for a lifetime. That's what I love about experiential marketing and live event artistry: creating something meaningful that lasts long after the event is over.
Grateful for Another Incredible Chicago Marathon Weekend
As I packed up my engraving tools at the end of the afternoon, I couldn't help but feel grateful.
Grateful for the opportunity to return for a second year. Grateful for the runners who trusted me with their hard-earned medals. And grateful for the clients who continue to recognize the value of live, handcrafted personalization. I never imagined when I started Letters from Elliott that my love of calligraphy and hand lettering would eventually lead me to experiences like this. Today, I have the privilege of working with luxury brands, corporate clients, hotels, event planners, and organizations throughout Chicago and across the country. But no matter how many events I work, I never want to lose sight of how special each opportunity is. To everyone who ran the Chicago Marathon this year: Congratulations!
Whether it was your first marathon, your tenth, a personal record, or simply a victory to cross that finish line, I hope you're incredibly proud of yourself. And to everyone who stopped by to have their medal engraved, thank you for letting me be a tiny part of your marathon story. I'm already looking forward to next year!
Looking for Live Engraving in Chicago?
Whether you're planning a sporting event, corporate celebration, luxury retail activation, conference, or private gathering, Letters from Elliott offers professional live engraving and event personalization throughout Chicago, the Midwest, and nationwide. My services include live hand engraving, modern calligraphy, bottle painting, hot foiling, leather and wood burning, and watercolor fashion illustration.
From intimate VIP experiences to high-volume events serving hundreds of guests, I love helping clients create thoughtful, interactive experiences that their guests will remember. Interested in bringing live engraving to your next event? Visit Letters from Elliott to learn more about my services and inquire about availability.
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