29°
Hot, lakefront temperatures reaching a high of 85F
1978 Ballot results
The datasheet
Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1978 ballot: 2nd edition, 4,053 finishers
On 24 September 1978 the second Chicago Marathon ran in 85F lakefront heat, with Americans Mark Stanforth and Lynae Larson winning in 2:19:20 and 2:59:25 and 4,053 runners finishing, nearly double the inaugural field.
Edition
2nd edition
Applications not published by race organiser
Field size
4,053
Total finishers
Race day
Sep 24
1978
Time qualifier
M2:50 W3:20
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 1978 notable
In only its second year the modern Chicago Marathon nearly doubled. A year after the 1977 inaugural Mayor Daley Marathon launched the event, 4,053 runners finished the 1978 race, run in punishing 85F lakefront heat that sent nearly 300 to medical aid and 10 to hospital. The day was as much about logistics as racing. Organisers pushed the start to 10:30 a.m., about 2.5 hours later than 1977, and thousands of runners wore black armbands in protest. Two start lines, a first for a US marathon, spread the swelling field. Mark Stanforth won in 2:19:20 and Lynae Larson of Brookings, South Dakota took the women's race in 2:59:25. Entry was open, with no ballot in this era.
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Qualifying
Time qualifier standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:15:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:40:00 | 4:15:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:55:00 | 4:30:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
| 80-84 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 85-89 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 90+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
FAQ
Questions about the 1978 ballot
Who won the 1978 Chicago Marathon?
Mark Stanforth of the United States won the men's race in 2:19:20, and Lynae Larson, also of the United States, won the women's race in 2:59:25.
How many people finished the 1978 Chicago Marathon?
A total of 4,053 runners finished, a near doubling of the inaugural 1977 field, despite 85F lakefront heat that sent nearly 300 runners for treatment and 10 to hospital.
Did the 1978 Chicago Marathon have a ballot or lottery?
No. Entry was open in 1978, with no ballot, so there are no application or acceptance figures for that year. The drawing system came in later decades as demand grew.
Why was the 1978 Chicago Marathon notable?
The start was moved to 10:30 a.m., about 2.5 hours later than 1977, and thousands of runners wore black armbands in protest. The race used two start lines, a first for a US marathon, to spread the growing field.
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