Conner Mantz is heading back to Chicago, and this time, he’s not just racing; he’s chasing history.
On Oct. 12, the 27-year-old will return to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon with one goal: to take down Khalid Khannouchi’s American marathon record of 2:05:38, a mark that’s stood unchallenged since 2002.
“I feel ready to run at that pace,” Mantz said to NBC Chicago. “After Boston, where I finished with guys who have run 2:02 and 2:03, it doesn’t feel like a stretch to say I can run 2:05:30 on a looped, flat course.”
He’s not bluffing.
Less than two months ago, Mantz stunned the Boston crowd with a 2:05:08 finish, good for fourth place and the fastest time ever run by an American on that course, which isn’t record-eligible due to its elevation drop and point-to-point layout.
Still, it was a performance that sent a clear message: Mantz is no longer just a rising star. He’s ready for the spotlight.
The Road to Chicago
Mantz’s marathon journey has been building toward this moment.
After debuting at the 2022 Chicago Marathon in 2:08:16, he returned in 2023 and shaved off nearly half a minute. He now ranks as the fifth-fastest American marathoner ever. But it’s what he’s done in 2025 that’s made people pay attention.
In January, he broke Ryan Hall’s long-standing U.S. half-marathon record by running 59:17 in Houston, a performance that hinted at what was coming. Then came Boston, where Mantz went stride for stride with some of the best marathoners in the world and never backed down.
“Conner has reached a level where he can make and achieve big goals,” said his coach Ed Eyestone to NBC Chicago, who knows a thing or two about running fast in Chicago, he finished second there in 1994. “Chicago is the perfect location for him to combine his consistency and confidence in a build that will hopefully culminate in the American record.”
Why Chicago?
There’s a reason Mantz picked the Windy City. Chicago has quietly become a breeding ground for historic races.
In the past three years alone, Emily Sisson broke the U.S. women’s record there (2022), Kelvin Kiptum obliterated the men’s world record (2023), and Ruth Chepngetich smashed the women’s world record (2024). The course is flat, fast, and forgiving—the ideal stage for a record attempt.
“The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a great American race in a great American city and it’s where the American record belongs,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski to NBC Chicago. “I look forward to seeing Conner run into Grant Park with time to spare so he can celebrate with all of the fans cheering him across the finish line.”
Even Khannouchi, whose record Mantz hopes to break, is expected to be there in October, and he’s cheering for the young star.
“Holding the American record all of these years has meant the world to me,” Khannouchi said to NBC Chicago. “But, I don’t think it will be a bittersweet moment for me if the record gets broken this fall. We will all be rooting for Conner.”
A Changing of the Guard?
Mantz is part of a broader resurgence in American marathoning.
Training alongside Clayton Young, his longtime teammate and fellow sub-2:08 guy, he’s part of a new generation that doesn’t just want to place well in major races, but compete with the best in the world.
His performances this year have narrowed the gap between American distance runners and the East Africans who have long dominated the sport.
With less than five months until race day, the table is set.
If the weather cooperates and Mantz stays healthy, we could be looking at the first American to break 2:05 on home soil. It would mark the end of a 23-year wait, and the beginning of a new era.
