F80-99: Tamerra Buckhanan Owns the Field

• Solo champion: Buckhanan was the only finisher in the F80-99 age group, crossing in 2:49:53 at a 12:58/mi average pace.
• Steady climber: Her gender standing improved continuously through every checkpoint — from 4,206th among women at the first mark all the way to 3,874th by 15K, then a final surge to finish among the women's field.
• Strong closing leg: On the 15K-to-finish segment, she posted the 3,510th-fastest women's split — a meaningful push through the final stretch.

There was only one name on the F80-99 start list, and Tamerra Buckhanan of Flossmoor, IL made sure it ended up on the finisher list too. At 80 years old, she covered Chicago's 13.1 miles in 2:49:53, averaging 12:58 per mile on a clear, mild morning — the kind of day that's about as cooperative as race weather gets.

What stands out beyond the finish itself is how Buckhanan raced it. She didn't just survive to the line — she moved. Her standing among the women's field improved at every single checkpoint: 4,206th, then 4,186th, then 4,168th, then 4,029th, and 3,874th at 15K. That's a consistent, disciplined progression through a field of thousands, not a slow fade.

She saved something for the end, too. The 15K-to-finish segment was her strongest relative showing, where she registered the 3,510th-fastest closing split among all women in the race. For an 80-year-old running a half marathon in Chicago, that's not a footnote — that's the whole story. Buckhanan didn't just complete the distance; she competed it.