Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1981 ballot: 5th edition, 4,252 finishers
On 27 September 1981 the fifth Chicago Marathon was won by Americans Phil Coppess in 2:16:13 and Tina Gandy in 2:49:39, the pair racing into 25 mph winds, with Olympic champion Frank Shorter beaten into third in the men's race.
What made 1981 notable
Nineteen eighty-one belonged to an outsider. Phil Coppess, an Iowan running only his third marathon, attacked into 25 mph winds and won the fifth Chicago Marathon in 2:16:13, beating Tony Shockency and, most strikingly, Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon champion and 1976 silver medalist, who finished third. Tina Gandy of Minnesota took the women's race in 2:49:39, also fighting the gusts. Behind the elites came a swelling mass field: 5,400 starters aged 7 to 78, twelve corporate teams, two wheelchair entrants and one blind runner, watched by 25,000 spectators and helped by 1,800 volunteers. A total of 4,252 finished, over 600 more than the year before.
Applications over time
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 |
Questions about the 1981 ballot
Who won the 1981 Chicago Marathon?
Phil Coppess of the United States won the men's race in 2:16:13, beating two-time Olympic marathon medalist Frank Shorter, and Tina Gandy, also of the United States, won the women's race in 2:49:39.
Why was the 1981 Chicago Marathon notable?
Phil Coppess, an Iowan running only his third marathon, beat Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon champion and 1976 silver medalist, who finished third. Both winners raced against 25 mph winds.
Did the 1981 Chicago Marathon have a ballot or lottery?
No. Chicago had no entry ballot in 1981, so there are no application or acceptance figures for that year. The drawing system came in later decades as demand grew.
When was the 1981 Chicago Marathon and how many finished?
It was held on Sunday, 27 September 1981, the fifth running, and 4,252 runners finished, an increase of over 600 on the previous year, out of 5,400 starters.