by Larry Eder
The Chicago Marathon is an iconic race, no doubt. This year, for the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, over 53,000 runners will star the Windy City marathon, surpassing the field of 52,600 from 2024!
The Chicago Marathon has been the focus of Carey Pinkowski and Mike Nishi, two of the iconic members of Chicago Events Marketing, the group that has overseen the race since the early 1990s.
The race has been respected for the way it takes care of citizen marathoners as well as the elite marathoners. From the enigma that was Bob Bright to the always cheerful Carey Pinkowski, the race has had some incredible battles and we would, in no particular order, share some of our favorite stories from the second city, Chicago!
- Steve Jones set the world record in the very first time that he finished a marathon. In 1984, Steve Jones ran 2:08.05, breaking the World record of one Alberto Salazar (2:08:13) and Rob De Castella (2:08:08). Steve Jones had run the 1983 Chicago race, but had hurt his ankle and was not able to finish. ” I offered Bob Bright to return my appearance money,” Steve Jones told RunBlogRun many years later. Bright, the race director, refused. So, Steve Jones came back, set a WR and defeated the Olympic champion, Carlos Lopes, POR, who had outicked Rob De Castella, the Commonwealth Games and World Champion (as well as Fukuoka 1980 champion), 2:09:06 to 2:09:09. Steve Jones won again in 1985, just missing the new WR (set by Carlos Lopes) by one second! Jones ran 2:07:13, sprinting as hard as he could as the crowd willed him on, but he was one second off! Djama Robleh, Djibouti, was second in 2:08.08 and Rob De Castella was third, once again in 2:08:48!
Steve Jones, Chicago Marathon 1985, photo from Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Joan Benoit, Olympic marathon champion, battled Ingrid Kristiansen, NOR for marathon supremacy, with Samuelson winning in 2:21:21, a American record she held until 2006, when Denna Kastor broke her record at the Flora London Marathon, with the first sub 2:20 run by an American women, with her 2:19:36 on a rainy Sunday in London. Joan and Ingrid battled each other in 1985, and the race was exciting and tense, as Joan Benoit Samuelson tried to break Ingrid Kristiansen, with Samuelson winning 2:21:21 to Kristiansen’s 2:23:05, and Rosa Mota, European champion and Olympic medalist, 2:23:29. (Rosa would go on to win gold in 1988 Seoul Marathon, after her bronze in LA 1984. Rosa also won European titles in 1982 Athens and 1986 Stuttgart, as well as gold in 1987 Rome World Champs!). Ingrid Kristiansen, NOR, would set the WR for the women’s marathon in 1986, of 2:21.06, which was not broken for 13 years! Ingrid also took gold in the 1986 European Champs 10,000m (Stuttgart), bronze in the 1982 Athens Marathon, and Gold in World Champs 1987 Rome 10,000m! In 1986, Kristiansen ran 14:37.33 for 5,000mWR and 30:13:74 for 10,000m, also in 1986. Many consider the 1985 Chicago marathon to be one of the toughest fields ever!
Joan Benoit (Samuelson) won the 1983 Boston Marathon in 2:22.43 WR, shown here with Mark Bossardet to her left, photo from Boston Athletic Association - Khalid Khannouchi won Chicago in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002! In 1997, Khalid broke the Course record of Steve Jones (2:07:13), with his 2:07:10! At the time, Khalid set the record for the fastest debut marathon in history! In 1998, Khalid was second in 2:07:19, then won Peachtree 10k (27:47), Falmouth (31:48) and set the WR for 20k at New Haven 20k (57:37)! Khalid came back and won the Chicago Marathon for the second time in 1999, also winning Peachtree 10k once again (27:45). In 2000, Khalid took third in London (2:08.36) then won Chicago for third time, (2:07:01), a new American record! In 2002, at London, Khalid Khanouchi became the first man under 2:06 with his 2:05:38 WR ! Khalid won Chicago for the 4th time in 2002, in 2:05:56, becoming the first man to break 2:06 twice in one year! Track & Field News, the bible of the sport, made Khalid Khannouchi their #1 Marathon in the world and American Athlete of the Year! In 2004, Khalid ran 2:08.44 for fifth place in Chicago, he had been injured in 2003. Khalid would go on to take 4th in London in 2006, in 2:07:04, coming back from a long stint of injuries. In 2007, Khalid did not finish London, but took 4th in the US Olympic Trials in New York city, running 2:12:34 for fourth place on the very tough course! HIs American record of 2:05.38 stands to this day. Connor Mantz hopes to break it this coming weekend! This writer witnessed all of Khalid Khannouchi’s races in Chicago!
Khalid Khannouchi, La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon, 2005, photo by La Salle Bank Chicago - Greg Meyer won the 1982 Chicago Marathon, in 2:10.59! Greg was the last American born marathoner to win until Galen Rupp in 2017! Greg Meyer was also the last American male to win the Boston Marathon (1983, 2:09.00) until Meb Keflezighi won Boston in 2014. Greg Meyer set ten American road records, two World records on the roads. Greg Meyer won the River Bank Run 25k seven times, in his home town of Grand Rapids. A top racer from the mile to the marathon, Greg was also a fine steeplechaser and a tough cross country runner. In 1983, Greg Meyer ran 27:53.1 for the 10,000m at the Colonial Relays, and about two weeks later won the 1983 Boston Marathon in 2:09:00. Greg Meyer still has meet record for 10,000m at Colonial Relays (as of 2025). Greg Meyer also won the AAU Cross Country in 1978 in 29:35., defeating Alberto Salazar! Greg Meyer is the dude!
Greg Meyer won the 1983 Boston Marathon in 2:09:00, photo from Boston Athletic Association - Deena Kastor won the Chicago Marathon in 2005, in 2:21:25, just four seconds off the CR of Joan Benoit Samuelson from 1985! At the Flora London Marathon, in 2006, Deena Kastor ran 2:19:36, breaking the AR from Joan Benoit-Samuelson, set in Chicago in 1985! Deena competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, taking the bronze medal in the hot and humid 2004 Athens Olympics with the fastest last 10k of any of the women competitors! Deena Kastor, in those terrible conditions, moved from 18th to third on the streets of Athens, Greece. Deena held the American record in the marathon from 2003 to 2022! Deena also won the World Cross silver in 2003 Lausanne, 2002 Dublin and bronze in 2000 Vilamoura! She lead US team XC to 2002 silver and bronze in 2003 and 2000. Deena Kastor set American records on 24 different occasions!
Deena Kastor winning the 2005 La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon, photo courtesy of LSB Chicago marathon
