On a humid, warm Sunday in Chicago, Hawi Feysa, 27, of Ethiopia, defended her Chicago Marathon title, winning the race in 2:13:33—a pace of 5:06 minutes per mile and a personal best by nearly a minute and a half. Two-time Boston and 2022 New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, 32, placed second in 2:14:07, more than three minutes ahead of her previous personal best of 2:17:22. Meanwhile, 2018 and 2019 Chicago champion Brigid Kosgei, 32, of Kenya, was third in 2:14:55.
In a deep field where more than seven women came in with personal bests under 2:18, a group of seven covered the first 5K in 15:36, a 5:02 pace. By the 10K mark, Kosgei and Feysa had separated themselves from the pack. At 15K, they were 12 seconds ahead of the next runner, Lokedi.
But by the 12-mile mark, Lokedi and Loice Chemnung, 29, of Kenya caught up to the lead pack. All four hit the halfway point at 66:06, 5:03 pace, before Lokedi and Feysa pulled away. By mile 20, they were 27 seconds ahead of Kosgei.
The pair then ran nearly side by side for most of the remaining miles, trading the lead several times in the final 10K. With about a mile to go, Lokedi attempted to pull ahead. But Feysa responded with a surge, covering the final mile in 5 minutes flat—while Lokedi slowed to a 5:33 pace.
Feysa takes home $100,000 for first place, Lokedi wins $75,000 for second place, and Kosgei earns $50,000 for third. In her marathon debut, Emma Grace Hurley, 28, led the American women, placing seventh overall in 2:20:47 and demolishing the American debut record in the process. Dakotah Popehn, 31, was the second American and 12th overall in a personal best 2:24:00, while Elena Hayday, 26, was right behind her, running 2:24:57 for third American and 13th place.
Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. She’s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.
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