Records Fall At Chicago Marathon, Evanston Runner Is 1 Millionth Finisher

CHICAGO — Sunday’s Chicago Marathon proved to be a historic day in terms of an established new world record and an Evanston runner who crossed the finish line and recorded perhaps an unexpected milestone.

The 45th running of the marathon on Sunday included a new men’s world record by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who finished the course in 2:00.35. The finish was the first sub-2:01.00 finish in a major marathon in an officially sanctioned race, Chicago Marathon officials said.

Kiptum, whose race included a 4:21-minute mile on the 19th mile of the race, crossed through the finishing tape and broke the previous men’s world record, established in 1999, by 34 seconds.

“I knew I was in good shape to run a fast race,” said Kiptum, who told reporters on Sunday that he knew the record was possible by the time he approached 5K. “Now I can go take a little rest and resume my training.”

The new world record was the 6th recorded in Chicago but the first since Khalid Khannouchi in 1999.

“It was time to bring it back to Chicago,” Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski told reporters. “This is a great sporting community. There is a great energy and a great crowd, and the weather was pretty near perfect.”

Sunday’s event also included course records in both the men’s and women’s wheelchair races.

Evanston runner Allison Naval also became the 1 millionth finisher in the 45-year history of the race.

Naval, competing in her first marathon, finished in 4:23:13 according to race officials and competed for charity, representing the Greater Chicago Food Depository.