Technically, you can't call it a World Record (although the BAA is appealing that decision), but a couple of Kenyans duked it out yesterday to see who would wind up running the fastest marathon in history. Because the Boston Marathon finish line is "too far" from the starting line, and the course is "too downhill", the course is ineligible for World Record certification. Those of us who have run Boston can attest that the downhill portions actually make Boston a tougher course than flat marathons. Not to mention the fact that you only run downhill for the privilege of running up the Newton hills, culminating in Heartbreak. It is true that yesterday's tailwind was helpful, but every course is unique, so why not require world records to only be allowed on a track?
In the end, Geoffrey Mutai had just a little bit more left at the end. From our vantage point just past Kenmore Square, with less than a mile to go, it was not clear who would prevail, but Moses Mosop could "only" manage 2:03:06 to Mutai's 2:03:02.
Ryan Hall showed what a stud he is, by leading for much of the race, then hanging on to finish fourth in a blistering 2:04:58.
Since the elite women start 28 minutes before the men, the leaders came through almost 10 minutes before the men. And the fans were going crazy, as there was actually an American in the hunt for the win as the top 3 came through in an ever-shifting bunch. We went back inside to catch the exciting finish on TV, and Desiree Davila wound up two seconds short, running 2:22:38, behind Kenya's Caroline Kilel.
Perhaps the finest Boston that I have witnessed - topping the Salazar-Beardsley dual in 1982.
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