F65-69 at Chicago 13.1: Skisak edges Kerr in a 18-second thriller at the top

• Eileen Skisak won the F65-69 group in 2:09:28 (9:53/mi), holding off Cheryl Kerr by just 18 seconds across 13.1 miles.
• Cheryl Kerr (Calgary, AB) was the most dramatic mover of the top three, surging from well back in the women's field through the 8K–10K stretch before settling into 2nd at 2:09:46.
• Karen Wood completed the podium in 2:12:42, a comfortable 2:56 behind Kerr and the steadiest climber of the trio — advancing through the women's field at every checkpoint.
• A nearly 17-minute gap separates the podium from 4th place, marking a sharp divide between the top three and the rest of the F65-69 field.

Eighteen seconds. That's the margin that decided the F65-69 title at the 2025 Chicago 13.1, and Eileen Skisak of La Grange Park earned every one of them. Running a steady 9:53/mi from the gun, Skisak held her position in the women's field with remarkable consistency through the first four checkpoints, then found another gear on the 15K-to-finish stretch — posting her strongest movement through the women's standings in the final miles to seal the win.

Cheryl Kerr made the race genuinely interesting. The Calgary runner came through the early miles in a far more conservative position in the women's field before unleashing her best running between 8K and 10K — the fastest segment split of her day. She clawed back hundreds of places among women in that stretch and ultimately crossed at 2:09:46, just 18 seconds behind Skisak. It wasn't quite enough, but it was a race well run by anyone's measure.

Karen Wood, running on home turf in Chicago, was the model of patience and consistency. She advanced her standing among women at every single checkpoint — from deep in the field at 5K all the way through the finish — and her 2:12:42 (10:07/mi) was never seriously threatened once the top two separated from the pack.

Behind the podium, 4th and 5th were their own contest: Dorie Lidd (2:29:06) and Sara Lara (2:29:22) finished just 16 seconds apart, with Lara actually running the stronger 5K–8K split before Lidd reasserted herself in the closing miles. All 30 finishers in the F65-69 group completed the course on a pleasant Chicago morning — 60°F, clear skies, a light wind — conditions that left no excuses and rewarded those who raced smart.