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Chicago Marathon
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The miles-long history of the marathon
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Also known as: Mayor Daley Marathon
Written by
Adam Augustyn
Adam Augustyn was a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica.
Adam Augustyn
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Ruth Chepngetich wins October SJAK Sports Personality of the Month • Nov. 14, 2024, 3:28 AM ET (The Standard)
Chebet's name doesn't ring a bell for World Athletics despite two Olympic gold and world record • Nov. 12, 2024, 4:22 AM ET (The Standard)
The miles-long history of the marathon
The miles-long history of the marathonThe marathon is said to commemorate the feat of a Greek soldier in 490 bce.
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Chicago Marathon, annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through Chicago that is held each October. Along with the Berlin, Boston, London, New York City, and Tokyo marathons, the Chicago Marathon is one of the world’s six major marathons.

The first Chicago Marathon—which was originally known as the Mayor Daley Marathon after the city’s then recently deceased mayor, Richard J. Daley—took place in 1977. The marathon’s route begins downtown in Grant Park, winds through the Loop, and runs through the North Side before returning downtown. It then circles through the city’s West and South sides before ending back in Grant Park. Khalid Khannouchi (of Morocco and later the U.S.) won the most Chicago Marathons with four victories, and Russia’s Liliya Shobukhova set the women’s record with three career wins. In 2024 Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya tied the latter record and became the first women to run a marathon in less than 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Winners of the Chicago Marathon are provided in the table.

Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
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Chicago Marathon
year men time women time
1977 Dan Cloeter (U.S.) 2:17:52 Dorothy Doolittle (U.S.) 2:50:47
1978 Mark Stanforth (U.S.) 2:19:20 Lynae Larson (U.S.) 2:59:25
1979 Dan Cloeter (U.S.) 2:23:20 Laura Michalek (U.S.) 3:15:45
1980 Frank Richardson (U.S.) 2:14:04 Sue Petersen (U.S.) 2:45:03
1981 Philip Coppess (U.S.) 2:16:13 Tina Gandy (U.S.) 2:49:39
1982 Greg Meyer (U.S.) 2:10:59 Nancy Conz (U.S.) 2:33:23
1983 Joseph Nzau (Kenya) 2:09:44 Rosa Mota (Port.) 2:31:12
1984 Steve Jones (U.K.) 2:08:05 Rosa Mota (Port.) 2:26:01
1985 Steve Jones (U.K.) 2:07:13 Joan Benoit Samuelson (U.S.) 2:21:21
1986 Seko Toshihiko (Japan) 2:08:27 Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.) 2:27:08
1987 not held
1988 Alejandro Cruz (Mex.) 2:08:57 Lisa Weidenbach (U.S.) 2:29:17
1989 Paul Davis-Hale (U.K.) 2:11:25 Lisa Weidenbach (U.S.) 2:28:15
1990 Martín Pitayo (Mex.) 2:09:41 Aurora Cunha (Port.) 2:30:11
1991 Joseildo Rocha (Braz.) 2:14:33 Midde Hamrin-Senorski (Swed.) 2:36:21
1992 José César de Souza (Braz.) 2:16:14 Linda Somers (U.S.) 2:37:41
1993 Luiz Antônio dos Santos (Braz.) 2:13:15 Ritva Lemettinen (Fin.) 2:33:18
1994 Luiz Antônio dos Santos (Braz.) 2:11:16 Kristy Johnston (U.S.) 2:31:34
1995 Eamonn Martin (U.K.) 2:11:18 Ritva Lemettinen (Fin.) 2:28:27
1996 Paul Evans (U.K.) 2:08:52 Marian Sutton (U.K.) 2:30:41
1997 Khalid Khannouchi (Mor.) 2:07:10 Marian Sutton (U.K.) 2:29:03
1998 Ondoro Osoro (Kenya) 2:06:54 Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) 2:23:57
1999 Khalid Khannouchi (Mor.) 2:05:42 Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) 2:25:59
2000 Khalid Khannouchi (U.S.) 2:07:01 Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 2:21:33
2001 Ben Kimondiu (Kenya) 2:08:52 Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 2:18:47
2002 Khalid Khannouchi (U.S.) 2:05:56 Paula Radcliffe (U.K.) 2:17:18
2003 Evans Rutto (Kenya) 2:05:50 Svetlana Zakharova (Russia) 2:23:07
2004 Evans Rutto (Kenya) 2:06:16 Constantina Tomescu-Dita (Rom.) 2:23:45
2005 Felix Limo (Kenya) 2:07:02 Deena Kastor (U.S.) 2:21:25
2006 Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (Kenya) 2:07:35 Berhane Adere (Eth.) 2:20:42
2007 Patrick Ivuti (Kenya) 2:11:11 Berhane Adere (Eth.) 2:33:49
2008 Evans Cheruiyot (Kenya) 2:06:25 Lidiya Grigoryeva (Russia) 2:27:17
2009 Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) 2:05:41 Liliya Shobukhova (Russia) 2:25:56
2010 Sammy Wanjiru (Kenya) 2:06:24 Liliya Shobukhova (Russia) 2:20:25
2011 Moses Mosop (Kenya) 2:05:37 Liliya Shobukhova (Russia) 2:18:20
2012 Tsegaye Kebede (Eth.) 2:04:38 Atsede Baysa (Eth.) 2:22:03
2013 Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:03:45 Rita Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:19:57
2014 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:04:11 Rita Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:24:35
2015 Dickson Chumba (Kenya) 2:09:25 Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:23:33
2016 Abel Kirui (Kenya) 2:11:23 Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:21:32
2017 Galen Rupp (U.S.) 2:09:20 Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth.) 2:18:31
2018 Mo Farah (U.K.) 2:05:11 Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:18:35
2019 Lawrence Cherono (Kenya) 2:05:45 Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:14:04
2020 not held
2021 Seifu Tura Abdiwak (Eth.) 2:06:12 Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) 2:22:31
2022 Benson Kipruto (Kenya) 2:04:24 Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) 2:14:18
2023 Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) 2:00:35 Sifan Hassan (Neth.) 2:13:44
2024 John Korir (Kenya) 2:02:44 Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) 2:09:56
Adam Augustyn