| Competition: | 5th Chicago Marathon |
| Venue: | Chicago, United States |
| Dates: | September 27 |
| Men: | Phil Coppess |
| Men Win Value: | 2:16:13 |
| Women: | Tina Gandy |
| Women Win Value: | 2:49:39 |
| Prev: | 1980 |
| Next: | 1982 |
The 1981 Chicago Marathon was the fifth running of the annual marathon race in Chicago, United States and was held on September 27. The elite men's and women's races were won by Americans Phil Coppess (2:16:13 hours) and Tina Gandy (2:49:39). A total of 4252 runners finished the race, an increase of over 600 from the previous year.[1]
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:16:13 | ||||
| 2:17:15 | ||||
| 2:17:27.7 | ||||
| 4 | 2:17:44 | |||
| 5 | 2:18:03 | |||
| 6 | 2:19:37 | |||
| 7 | 2:20:15 | |||
| 8 | 2:20:26 | |||
| 9 | 2:22:22 | |||
| 10 | 2:23:35 |
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:49:39 | ||||
| 2:56:33 | ||||
| 2:58:05 | ||||
| 4 | 2:58:58 | |||
| 5 | 2:59:16 | |||
| 6 | 3:04:47 | |||
| 7 | 3:05:40 | |||
| 8 | 3:06:43 | |||
| 9 | 3:06:46 | |||
| 10 | 3:08:38 |