Utah’s own Conner Mantz didn’t just make history at the 2025 Chicago Marathon — he also broke his phone.
After finishing with a record-breaking time of 2:04:43, the fastest marathon ever run by an American, Mantz says his phone “won’t even let him use the keyboard” from the flood of congratulatory messages.
“I don’t know if it’s all the texts or what,” Mantz joked. “My phone’s basically done for.”
The 28-year-old Fairfield, Utah, native’s blistering pace of 4:45 per mile shattered Khalid Khannouchi’s 23-year-old record by 55 seconds. Khannouchi, who set the mark in 2002, was at the Chicago finish line to personally congratulate Mantz with a hug and a laugh: “What took you so long?”
A Long Road to History
For Mantz, who first ran Chicago in 2022 with a time of 2:08:16, this record has been years in the making. Since then, he’s climbed the marathon ranks — winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, finishing 8th in Paris 2024, and clocking 2:05:08 at the 2025 Boston Marathon (which couldn’t count as a record due to course rules).
When Mantz was confirmed for Chicago’s elite field this year, he boldly predicted he could break the record:
“It doesn’t feel like a stretch,” he told organizers. “I can run 2:05:30 on a flat, looped course.”
And he did even better.
A Passing of the Baton
Two days before the race, Mantz met with Khannouchi, who offered words of encouragement.
“He told me, ‘I think you can get this record,’” Mantz said. “That meant a lot — to be lifted up by someone I’ve always admired.”
After Mantz’s finish, Khannouchi was among the first to celebrate his achievement.
The Debate Over the “Best American Marathoner”
Mantz’s record has reignited debate among running insiders: Is he now the greatest American marathoner ever? Some point to past legends like Ryan Hall and Galen Rupp, who ran before today’s carbon-plated “super shoes” that can improve efficiency by up to 5%.
But Mantz’s longtime coach Ed Eyestone, who also coaches at BYU, says the record speaks for itself.
“He posted the best time ever run by an American,” Eyestone said. “We’ll hang our hat on that.”
What’s Next for Mantz
Despite running the fastest American marathon ever, Mantz finished fourth overall — behind Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto and Alex Masai. Kiplimo’s 2:02:23 was the second-fastest marathon time in history.
Still, Mantz isn’t slowing down. He plans to compete at the USA Cross Country Championships this winter and hopes to represent the U.S. again at the 2026 World Championships in Florida.
“You can’t expect to keep a record forever,” Mantz said. “I just want to keep improving. Maybe next time, I’ll go under 2:04.”
Eyestone agrees: “Next goal: sub-2:04:00. But for now, we’ll enjoy this one.”
As for Mantz, he has one more immediate challenge — catching up on hundreds of unread messages.
“I’ve got a huge to-do list at home,” he laughed. “Step one: fix my phone.”
