17°
Ideal conditions, temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit
1980 Ballot results
The datasheet
Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1980 ballot: 4th edition, 3,624 finishers
On 28 September 1980 the fourth Chicago Marathon ran in ideal low-60s weather, with Frank Richardson and Sue Petersen of the United States winning in 2:14:04 and 2:45:03 and 3,624 runners finishing, up more than 750 on the year before.
Edition
4th edition
Applications not published by race organiser
Field size
3,624
Total finishers
Race day
Sep 28
1980
Time qualifier
M2:50 W3:20
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 1980 notable
Ideal weather made 1980 a breakout year for participation. After 1979's race was cooked by 77-degree heat and finished by only 2,869 runners, organisers were rewarded with temperatures in the low 60s, and more than 4,600 people turned out for the fourth Chicago Marathon. A total of 3,624 finished, an increase of more than 750 on the year before. Frank Richardson of the United States won the men's race in 2:14:04 and Sue Petersen took the women's race in 2:45:03. The day's defining image was Ida Mintz, 74, crossing the line in 4:45 with her family to become the world's oldest female marathoner, while Jane Schiff claimed the first unofficial wheelchair win. Proceeds went to the Chicago Boys Club.
Year over year
Applications over time
Applications · 2022 → 2026
80K86K123K160K200K
'22'23'24'25'26
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 1980 ballot
Who won the 1980 Chicago Marathon?
Frank Richardson of the United States won the men's race in 2:14:04, and Sue Petersen, also of the United States, won the women's race in 2:45:03.
How many people finished the 1980 Chicago Marathon?
A total of 3,624 runners finished, an increase of more than 750 on the previous year. More than 4,600 turned out, helped by ideal low-60s weather after 1979's brutal heat.
Did the 1980 Chicago Marathon have a ballot or lottery?
No. Chicago had no entry ballot in 1980, so there are no application or acceptance figures for that year. The drawing system came in later decades as demand grew.
What made the 1980 Chicago Marathon notable?
Ida Mintz, aged 74, finished in 4:45 with her family to claim the title of the world's oldest female marathoner, and Jane Schiff recorded the race's first unofficial wheelchair win in 3:02:38.
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