Search
shop

Gwen Jorgensen 11th at the Chicago Marathon

Olympic Triathlon champion Gwen Jorgensen ran the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday - her first as a 'proper' runner. Here are the details of her run in the Windy City
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

2:36:23 for the Olympic Triathlon at Bank of America Chicago Marathon

[UPDATE – Headline corrected from original which incorrectly stated ninth, rather than 11th place finish]

 

It wasn’t her first ever marathon (she clocked 2:41:01 in New York in 2016), but today’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon was Olympic Triathlon Champion, Gwen Jorgensen’s, first serious attempt at the distance since her departure from triathlon to become a full-time runner.

There is no other way of dressing it up – a finish time of 2:36:23 (5:58/mile / 3:42/km) is absolutely not the result she would have been expecting and happy with today. It is significantly below her potential, and the final few lines of this timing data will certainly provide few crumbs of comfort.

Gwen Jorgensen’s Chicago Marathon Splits:

Gwen Jorgensen Bank of America Chicago Marathon

A first half of 1:15:48 was followed by a second half of 1:20:35, with a significant fade after the 30km mark. Gwen’s final 12.195km was covered at almost 2:47 marathon pace.

Having run 1:10:58 for half marathon earlier this year (and been disappointed with that at the time), 2:36 isn’t even remotely close to what she should would have started today believing she was capable of. In November last year, when Gwen first announced her switch, I wrote this extended piece which included the following extract, based on my interpretation of Gwen’s distance prospects:

Anyone who has followed Gwen’s training and professionalism this year will know that she has taking the same ‘no stone unturned’ approach to running that she did to her dominance in triathlon. Right now at least, in my opinion, today’s performance does not come close to reflecting what should be her ability or potential. I believe that she would have been aiming at around 2:30 today, fully believing that was a target which would enable her to finish strongly and build upon for future races.

Is Gwen chasing the wrong (distance) target?

Of all the races Gwen has run this year, by far the most impressive performance (statistically) she has produced was her very first race of 2018 – 15:15 for 5000m indoors in Seattle in February. Six months after the birth of Stanley, that was an fantastic debut, far exceeding the forecasts of almost everyone. Can Gwen Jorgensen become a world class marathon runner, or did that race highlight where her real strengths really are?

What comes next will be interesting to see.

Chicago Marathon – Sunday 7th October 2018

WOMEN

1st – Brigid Kosgei (KEN) – 2:18:35
2nd – Roza Dereje (ETH) – 2:21:18
3rd – Shure Demise (ETH) – 2:22:15
4th – Florence Kiplagat (KEN) – 2:26:08
5th – Veronicah Nyaraui (KEN) – 2:31:34

11th – Gwen Jorgensen (USA) – 2:36:23

MEN

1st – Mo Farah (GBR) – 2:05:11 (British and European record)
2nd – Mosinent Geremew Bayih (ETH)
3rd – Suguru Osaka (JPN) – 2:05:50
4th – Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN) – 2:05:57
5th – Galen Rupp (USA) – 2:06:21

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Jan Frodeno Cheesehead PTO Tour US Open 2023 Milwaukee
Triathlon legend Jan Frodeno goes outside his comfort zone to take on epic UTMB challenge
Matthew Marquardt wins IRONMAN Lake Placid 2025
Matthew Marquardt reveals why he would do IRONMAN Lake Placid again “in a heartbeat”
Premium‘The difference from triathlon is so big – there’s no comparison’: Maya Kingma on life in the Women’s WorldTour peloton
Sam Laidlow wins IRONMAN Leeds 2025
Sam Laidlow hails ‘special’ IRONMAN Leeds crowd after one fan sign turned chiller into thriller
Alex Yee wins Super tri Toronto 2025
Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee says “I’ve still got it” after roaring back to action with terrific Toronto win
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...