The women’s champion of the 2017 New York City Marathon, Flanagan these days coaches Nike’s Bowerman Track Club in Portland, Ore. But she saw an opportunity in the closely packed schedule created by the coronavirus pandemic, which pushed three spring races into the fall. She decided to run in all six major marathons, and to try to complete each one in under three hours — roughly a pace of under 6 minutes 50 seconds per mile.
After finishing the Chicago Marathon Sunday in 2:46:39 — and winning the women’s 40-44 division — she is halfway there.