Do you believe in magic? Khalid Khannouchi does. Khannouchi is King of the Roads in Chicago, and no one else is in the running. How else do you explain four victories in five tries for Khannouchi at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

"He's a popular guy," executive race director Carey Pinkowski said, moments after Khalid had delivered his latest victory, a terrific 2:05:56 in the chill and wind of mid-October. "In Chicago, we have some very identifiable athletes. I think he just feels comfortable and confident here. We'll have to build a statue or plaque for him on Columbus Drive. I'll have to call the mayor. He (Khannouchi) deserves it."

Almost on cue, Khannouchi sensed the urgency and seized the moment in the late going on Chicago's fast, flat course. Having let Japanese star Toshinari Takaoka break away on the 19th mile, Khannouchi stayed back with Abdelkader El Mouaziz of Morocco and Paul Tergat, Ben Kimondiu and David Njenga of Kenya. Things were getting critical, but never fear, the racers were approaching the 23-mile mark, better known as Khannouchi territory.

Takaoka, running with a previous best of 2:09:41 and 70 million fans watching it on prime time TV back home, was making it interesting. But enough was enough. After the Japanese runner had bested Khannouchi 4:48 to 4:56 on Mile 21, 4:47 to 4:55 on Mile 22 and 4:57 to 5:00 on Mile 23, Khalid moved up to a level only he knows in the late miles of a marathon.

Erasing a 22-second deficit, he passed the fading Takaoka as the two runners were entering the McCormick Place tunnel. When they passed the 25-mile mark inside the tunnel, Khannouchi was in total control, his arms pumping, his legs on fast forward. The only question was did he move too late to have a shot at his own world record. The record didn't happen with the strong headwind on the final 2.5 mile stretch, but he still peeled off mile splits of 4:48, 4:52 and 5:00 before finishing just 18 seconds off his mark, set at London in April.

What is it that ignites Khannouchi over the last three miles on this course that has become hallowed ground for him? He did it against Moses Tanui in 1999 and again 2000 against Tanui and Josephat Kiprono. Khannouchi has a real feel for the course and extra sense of when the other runners are most vulnerable.

"Definitely, this is a magical place," Khannouchi, 30, said after staging the latest in his string of amazing victories on the streets of Chicago. "You come here and you compete against the best. It is a great place to come and compete. It was 42 kilometers, and I probably heard my name thousands of times out there today."

Takaoka is a good friend of Khannouchi's, but the move at Mile 19 still was somewhat of a shocker. The Japanese track star set a Japanese and Asian record as he ended up third in 2:06:16, just behind Kenyan David Njenga, who collapsed at the finish line. He was treated for exercise-associated drop in his blood pressure. He was treated and recovered fully. Tergat finished fourth in 2:06:18 and El Mouaziz, the one many figured to be the breakaway artist, faded to fifth in 2:06:46. Chicago becme the first marathon to have five runners go under 2:07.

Takaoka's break was not a major concern to Khannouchi.

"I wasn't worried about him," he said. "I didn't want to take any chances, but by Mile 23, it started getting complicated and I had to make the decision to take off. You think, think, think, it goes back and forth in your mind 20 times in your mind. I've always said that the last three miles here are very significant. I looked back and they (El Mouaziz, Tergat and Njenga) gave me a little opening. So I said to myself, 'I go. I go now.' "

And go he did.

"It is very important to know the course," Khannouchi said. "It was very emotional for me. It is not something that is planned."

With tears gushing from his tired eyes, Khalid knelt down just past the finish line and gave thanks for what only can be called a magical, magnificent display of running at the highest level.