Milwaukee native runs fastest marathon time ever for an American woman

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Emily Sisson was busy running the fastest marathon ever for an American woman Sunday morning.

She finished second in the Chicago Marathon to a Kenyan runner, who just missed the world record.

It was a great day for the sport and now, the Milwaukee native is recapping it for an audience of runners assembled at Fleet Feet Sports.

"I thought 2:20 was an ambitious goal, so to run 2:18:29 and finish second, I'm just ecstatic about it," Sisson said.

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While Sisson arguably had the best day among the more than 40,000 runners, the ideal weather conditions made for a great day for most everyone making the 26.2-mile journey through Chicago.

"I felt good the whole time. The whole 'hitting the wall thing,' I never hit it," said Anchisa Pipatpinyopon, a first-time marathoner. "I was really proud of that."

Many runners are now proudly wearing their finisher medals around town.

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The marathon course takes runners through 29 different Chicago neighborhoods. The mostly flat roads with few hills make it ideal for running a fast marathon, and numerous runners have set world and American records here.

But the non-elite runners appreciate the course as well.

"This is an incredible marathon course. The whole city comes out. It is a party for all 26.2 miles," said Nikki Wright, a marathon finisher.

Wright and Lori Bradshaw came from Seattle for the party --or the race. And now that it's over, the run begins.

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"We're gonna get some pizza and beers," Bradshaw said when asked what she plans to do with the night.

While most of the runners are out celebrating or sleeping, work continues in Grant Park while they break down all the infrastructure and put it in storage until next year.