Elite field for Chicago Marathon

The fast, flat streets of Chicago and $650,000 in prize money have attracted a strong field of runners, including last year's winners, to today's 27th Chicago Marathon, organizers said.

The Chicago race has produced three world records and weather forecasts called for ideal cool, dry conditions for the 40,000 runners competing from 125 countries.

The leading men this year are two-time defending champion Evans Rutto, 27, of Kenya, who will be challenged by Timothy Cherigat, Alan Culpepper, William Kipsang, Sammy Korir and Felix Limo.

Rutto ran last year's windy course in 2:06:16, which was slower than his 2:05:50 winning time in his debut marathon in 2003.

Top women contenders include defending champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania as well as Masako Chiba, Colleen De Reuck and Deena Kastor.

Tomescu-Dita's winning time last year in Chicago was 2:23:45.

In 1999, Khalid Khannouchi posted a world record in Chicago at 2:05:42, but he had to withdraw from this year's race because of the lingering effects from surgery in June.

Women world records were set in Chicago in 2001 by Kenya's Catherine Ndereba at 2:18:47, which was eclipsed the following year by Britain's Paula Radcliffe.

The richest prize in marathon includes $125,000 each to the winners, with hefty bonuses paid for course or world records.