American wins the Boston Marathon!

[David in FL]

39 years old.  First American win since 1985!

2:08:37.  That's only about 20 minutes slower than my usual half- marathon time!

[jamo]

I walked up to the starting line. I'll upload some pics in a bit.

[nevets88]

You go Boston!

Is a sub 3 hr time like a 300 yard drive I wonder?

[David in FL]

You go Boston! Is a sub 3 hr time like a 300 yard drive I wonder?

Yep. I can't do either! ;-)

[boogielicious]

He took of about half way out and they let him go.  Big mistake.  One runner came within 6 seconds, but he held them off.  He is also almost 39 years old.

[jamo]

First, a tiny map of how the starting line works: The runners come from the high school via Grove st or Hayden Rowe, or they come directly from a bus by walking down Main st. Most of the spectators stand at the town common, but this year security was much tighter, so you had to get there pretty early for them to let you on that side of the road. Obviously, once the runners begin to line up, they don't let you cross. I wasn't that early, so I was on the other side. I managed to get a few pictures. Of the helicopter flyover: Looking down Hayden Rowe st: Looking east on Main st, towards the starting line and the common: Then I took a few panoramas. When they start the waves, the runners are usually walking for a bit because it's so congested. Then towards the end of the waves, they thin out:

[boogielicious]

We were going to go to Newton to watch, but my wife is still under the weather.  We watched the whole race on TV.

[nevets88]

He took of about half way out and they let him go.  Big mistake.  One runner came within 6 seconds, but he held them off.  He is also almost 39 years old.

This just blows my mind.

[shakogolfer78]

Pretty awesome moment for Meb and the rest of America. Great to see such an amazing turn out for such a great tradition. Wish Flannagan would have completed the sweep for the USA, but she lost her lead around mile 20 and finished around 7th? Still impressive. I know this race means everything to her since she is from Boston.

[boogielicious]

Pretty awesome moment for Meb and the rest of America. Great to see such an amazing turn out for such a great tradition.

Wish Flannagan would have completed the sweep for the USA, but she lost her lead around mile 20 and finished around 7th? Still impressive. I know this race means everything to her since she is from Boston.

She best her PR by 3 minutes, which is tremendous.  The winner was smart not to let her go.