OT: Boston Marathon....NBCSports....on TV as I type

[Blakeon18]

The elite women started around 9:30...men at 10:00.

Dreadful weather....go Shalene Flanagan...I suspect this is her last race....her 'home'
marathon...she is from Marblehead. Maybe the best American distance runner ever?

Joan Benoit Samuelson might differ.

 

[oldude]

What an absolutely awful day to run a marathon: 40 degrees, 20+ mph winds and torrential rain. I have no idea how these runners keep going in these conditions.

 

[oldude]

American Des Linden running a brilliant race on the women’s side. Now pulling away with 20 minutes left. Could be the 1st American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years.

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

Congratulations to Des Linden! After loosing the 26 mile long Boston Marathon by just two seconds (think last second baskets in overtime) to keep trying and win in very difficult rain and wind conditions(think shin splints, ankle ligaments, migraines and near-sighted referees) she is truly an inspiration for next year for a group of young women athletes we all know and love.

 

[oldude]

Congratulations to Des Linden! After loosing the 26 mile long Boston Marathon by just two seconds (think last second baskets in overtime) to keep trying and win in very difficult rain and wind conditions(think shin splints, ankle ligaments, migraines and near-sighted referees) she is truly an inspiration for next year for a group of young women athletes we all know and love.

I believe that 6 of the top 8 women were Americans, and that didn't include Flanagan, Huddle and 1 or 2 other top Americans that burned out. Very quietly, over the past 5-10 years there has been a revolution in US Women's distance running with the arrival of a virtual herd of outstanding U.S. runners.

One of the most impressive aspects about Linden's run today is that she fell back to help pace Flannagan back into the race after Flannagan had to stop for a toilet break. Linden then fell back off the pace on at least two occasions, but somewhere down deep she found something extra to power back into the race. When she blew by the Ethiopian and then the Kenyan with about 20 minutes left to go, it was one of the most thrilling moments I've ever watched in a marathon since Samuelson ran away from everyone in the 1984 Olympics in LA.

 

[Blakeon18]

7 of the top 8 were Americans...Shalene was #7.

Many runners....including elites....dropped out due to hypothermia.
Great day for the USA on the women's side.

 

[oldude]

7 of the top 8 were Americans...Shalene was #7.

Many runners....including elites....dropped out due to hypothermia.
Great day for the USA on the women's side.

U.S. men did OK too, with 6 of top 10. One statistic that attests to the brutal conditions was that 1300 runners sought assistance at medical stations along the route for hypothermia and other health related issues. That number doesn’t even include the numerous runners who finished the race and immediately sought medical assistance at the medical tent at the finish line.