Runners celebrate spring return
Jepchirchir takes 50th women’s race; Chebet men’s winner
Runners partied like it was 2018 after crossing the 126th Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street, celebrating the venerable race’s return to Patriot’s Day after a three-year break during the coronavirus pandemic.
Monday’s race capped off the first time the Boston Marathon has been held twice in a 12-month span, after the 2021 race was postponed from its original April date to October — just six months before Patriot’s Day came around again.
“I ran Boston in October, so I’m proud to be one of the only people to run two Bostons in one year, so that’s pretty cool. But it’s amazing to be part of the tradition again,” said marathon finisher Harris Craycraft, a senior at Boston College.
Other runners who had considered competing in the unusual fall race decided to cross their fingers and hope a day like Monday would return.
“I debated doing it in the fall of 2021 but I decided to hold off for Patriot’s Day. It just feels special to do it in the third Monday of April,” said runner Lauren Kelly, a Philadelphian who was elated to finish her first Boston Marathon within minutes of her goal pace.
When runners sign up for the April race, they’re committing to competing during New England’s most unpredictable time of year, weather-wise. Conditions on Marathon Monday have ranged from freezing cold rain to hot, summer-like days. The 126th race offered runners crisp temperatures that stayed in the low 50s and clear blue skies, but strong winds to run against from Hopkinton to Back Bay.
“I will say, the headwind was not my friend. But you see all these people running like it’s nothing, so it gives you the confidence to keep going, and you have the crowd cheering on the side,” said finisher Chris Harris.
The constant headwinds held back leaders in the elite packs from breaking course records, but Kenyans reigned victorious, winning both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Peres Jepchirchir became the first athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon, clocking in 2:21:01. She traded leads with Ethiopian runner Ababel Yeshaneh eight times before making the final turn onto Boylston Street.
“I fell behind. But I didn’t lose hope,” she said after her victory.
Evans Chebet won the men’s race with a time of 2:06:51. He spent most of the race in a pack with several other elite runners before pulling away after the Newton hills.
“I observed that my counterparts were nowhere near me and that gave me the motivation,” he said.
Several Ukrainian runners finished the marathon, proudly wearing their country’s colors after athletes from Russia and Belarus had been disinvited from competing this year in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
“When I really wanted to stop at some point, (supporters) were like, ‘Go Ukraine!’ I just couldn’t stop,” Ukrainian runner Dmytro Molchanov said, with his country’s flag draped around his shoulders.
The 50th anniversary of women competing in the BAA Boston Marathon was celebrated with a battle for the ages.
Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir made a desperation surge on her friend and rival Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia at the finish line to win the women’s race in the 126th running of the Boston Marathon.
Evans Chebet of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:06:51, beating 2019 winner Lawrence Cherono (2:07:21) and 2021 champion Benson Kipruto (2:07:27). Scott Fauble of Flagstaff, Ariz., was the top American with a seventh-place finish in 2:08:52
American Daniel Romanchuk won his second Boston in the men’s wheelchair race with a time of 1:26:58. Defending champion Manuela Schar capture her fourth BAA title in the women’s race in 1:41:08.
Jepchirchir and Yeshaneh exchanged the lead five times in the home stretch between Kenmore and Copley squares. Jepchirchir broke the tape in 2:21:01 to secure her first win at Boston and third Abbott World Marathon Major. In the span of eight months, Jepchirchir has won the Olympic marathon in Sapporo, Japan, on Aug. 21, the New York Marathon on Nov. 21, and Boston on Patriot’s Day.
Yeshaneh placed second in 2:21:05 followed by Kenyans Mary Ngugi (2:21:12) and former champion Edna Kiplagat (2:21:40). For the second year in a row, Nell Rojas was the first American, placing 10th in 2:25:57.
“I was not expecting to win but I am very grateful,” said Jepchirchir. “For me I was feeling the pace and it was not easy to push the pace because I was feeling tired.
“For me it was better in the last 800 meters to push the pace. For me I can say that I love my competitors as myself. I knew that if we pushed together, we can run a good race. I am grateful and I can say for me when I’m racing, I follow my competitors more than myself.”
With defending champion Diana Kipyokei of Kenya not participating, the women’s elite professional field left Hopkinton behind a veil of uncertainty and at a moderate pace.
The compressed group that jostled for position on the scenic stretch by Lake Cochituate was reduced to three by Natick Center. Jepchirchir and Yeshaneh ditched Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei at the 23-mile marker and raced stride for stride on the delicate decline into Kenmore Square.
“I can say for me this was the race and I decided to push the pace because I want to run a good time,” said Jepchirchir. “I want to thank my friends Ababel and Joyciline because we pushed the pace together. “
Chebet made a decisive surge on the downside of Heartbreak Hill and ran the remainder of the race uncontested. Chebet opened up a 50-meter lead on his compatriots after Cleveland Circle and refused to yield an inch over the final four miles.
“I was confident that move would do it,” said Chebet. “I wanted to keep running but at the beginning I was not confident that I would come out as the winner.
“I am proud that my counterparts were nowhere close to me. That gave me the motivation and the determination to seize the race and be the winner.
“I am really thrilled that today I have become the winner. When I came to London, I was in position four and when I went to Paris, I was in position four. So today I am happy that I was the winner.
Chebet made amends for his Boston debut in 2018 when he failed to finish under abysmal weather conditions. Chebet felt vindicated by claiming victory against the strongest men’s field in race history.
“On a day like today I want to thank God,” said Chebet. “When I came in 2018 my performance was not that good and today my performance was better and next year I will come back again.”
Citing personal and medical reasons, reigning champion and five-time Boston winner Marcel Hug of Switzerland withdrew from the men’s wheelchair race at the 11th hour. Romanchuk of Champaign, Ill., had finished runner-up to Hug last October.
Romanchuk put the hammer down early, created separation on the benign sections of the course and easily traversed the four Newton Hill hills. Romanchuk led the final 23 miles to secure his eighth marathon major and second in Boston. Aaron Pike, also of Champaign, Ill., placed second, making it the first time since 1991 that the U.S. swept the top spots.
Schar successfully defended her title with a wire-towire run. Schar had her training schedule turned upside down when she contracted the coronavirus in the weeks leading up to the race.