Live Updates: The 2018 Boston Marathon
On Monday morning, about 30,000 athletes from more than 90 countries will flood the small town of Hopkinton, Mass., ready to run the 26.2 miles it takes to reach the finish line. They will run despite the rainy weather and the infamously hilly route. And this year, on the fifth anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, many will run with the weight of those memories.
WGBH News reporters will be on the ground, covering the race. Check here for live updates throughout the day.
4:05 pm: Today’s athletes have braved the rain and the cold to reach the finish line. We are now closing our live blog. Thanks for following along! For more news, visit www.wgbhnews.org.
3:15 pm: Desiree Linden, at the post-race press conference, says she felt horrible at the beginning of the race and considered dropping out. She told Shalane Flanagan if she needed anything to let her know. Flanagan stopped to use the bathroom early on in the race and Linden waited for her to bring her back to the group. Then she decided to finish the race.
Linden said that winning was “storybook stuff.”
2:35 pm: At the post-race press conference, the winners commented on the weather. Japanese runner Yuki Kawauchi said the weather was not the worst he’s run in — he had run previously in 17 degree temperatures. But Desiree Linden described it as brutal. She said her hands were freezing, and was she was thinking, “’This is not my day,’ until I turned on Hereford. That’s when i let it click.” Crowds were sparse in the rain but enthusiastic, and some of the runners said that’s what kept them going.
2:07 pm: From our archives, “Marathon Bombing Survivors Talk Inspiration Behind New Children’s Book About Service Dog”
2:00 pm: It hasn’t warmed up much today. It’s now 43 degrees and raining in Boston, according to the National Weather Service. With the windchill it’s 34 degrees.
1:55 pm: Former Governor Deval Patrick, who was in office five years ago when two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, joined Boston Public Radio today to reflect on that day and what has happened in the five years since.
1:32 pm: Scenes from the finish line:
1:25 pm: In her commentary this week, Callie Crossley asks where the fifth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings falls in the healing journey.
1:05 pm: Amby Burfoot won the Boston Marathon 50 years ago. Today he’s running the race again. He joined Boston Public Radio to talk about it. This year, he’s handing out thank-you notes to spectators along the route. The note says:
1:00 pm: As the runners cross the finish line, time to think about replenishing those lost calories:
12:57 pm: A recap of Yuki Kawauchi crossing the finish line:
12:50 pm: A recap of Desiree Linden crossing the finish line:
12:40 pm: Here’s a piece of Marathon trivia for you:
12:35 pm: On the men’s side, Yuki Kawauchi also turned in a dominating performance, winning the elite race by two minutes and 22 seconds. Kirui came is second with a time of 2:18:23. The next four finishers — Shadrack Biwott, Tyler Pennel, Andrew Bunbalough and Scott Smith — were Americans.
12:30 pm: Desiree Linden finished four minutes and 11 seconds faster than American Sarah Sellers, who took second place, with a time of 2:44:05. American women had a strong showing this year. Six of the top seven finishers were American. Rachel Hyland came in fourth, Nicole Dimercuiro was fifth, Shalane Flanagan was sixth and Kimi Reed came in seventh. Canadian Kristan Duchene was the only athlete to break up the American pack at the finish line. Last year’s winner, Edna Kiplagat, came in eighth with a time of 2:47:14.
12:15 pm: Yuki Kawauchi of Japan has won the men’s race. Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya led for much of the race, but Kawauchi had overtaken Kirui by the time he reached the last mile. Kirui won last year with a time of 2:09:37. Kawauchi clocked a time of 2:15:54 today.
12:12 pm: Desiree Linden of the U.S. has won the women’s race, with a finish time of 2:39:54. She is the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since 1985.
12:08 pm: Desiree Linden of the U.S. has passed the 40K mark, with a time of 2:31:13.
12:02 pm: Security at the finish line.
12:00 pm: Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya is still leading the men at the 35K mark. He clocked in at 1:50;49, a minute and 31 seconds ahead of the next competitor.
11:55 am: How many volunteers are pitching in for this year’s Boston Marathon to go smoothly? Think about the number of people who can fit the Wang Theater, then multiply that by 2.7.
11:50 am: Desiree Linden of the U.S. has taken the lead at the 35K mark in the women’s race. Gladys Chesir of Kenya is 1 second behind.
11:45 am: Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya hit the 20-mile mark a full minute and 10 seconds ahead of the other competitors.
11:40 am: Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia led the women runners at the 21 mile mark. Gladys Chesir of Kenya was one second behind, and Desiree Linden of the U.S. was 6 seconds behind her.
11:37 am: Spectators brave the elements near the finish line.
11:32 am: With a little less than half way to go, there was essentially a four-way tie in the elite men’s race. Yuki Kawauchi of Japan along with Evans Chebet, Philemon Rono and Wilson Chebet, all of whom are from Kenya, clocked in a time of 1:19:04 as they crossed the 25K mark. Ethiopia’s Lemi Berhanu was a second behind. The top American in the race was Shadrack Biwott, who was also a second behind the leaders.
11:30 am: Despite the rain, runners still need to stay hydrated. There is enough water being distributed on the course to fill 3.6 TD Garden ice rinks.
11:20 am: Just a few of the many bags of discarded clothes left at the start line.
11:12 am: Tatyana McFadden of the U.S. has won the women’s push rim wheelchair race, crossing the finish line at 2:04:39. It’s her fifth win in Boston. Last year’s winner, Manuela Schar from Switzerland, had fallen out of the top pack by the 20 mile mark.
11:05 am: Some spectators brave the rain as the first competitors cross the finish line.
11:00 am: Tom Davis of the U.S. has won the handcycle race, crossing the finish line at 1:18:41.
10:57 am: The Associated Press is reporting that because of the cold and rainy weather, Boston Marathon officials gave elite runners two race bibs each. The top runners typically get a bib with their name on it, unlike all of the other competitors who get numbers, so fans can recognize them. Because so many people were wearing extra layers, the double bibs allowed the elite field to pin one to their outer layer and one to their inner layer in case they need to shed clothing.
10:56 am: Felix Kandie of Kenya led the male runners at the 15K mark with a time of 46:25. Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia and Abdi Abdirahman of the US were close behind.
10:54 am: Nicole, left, and Olivia came down from Calgary, Alberta, Canada to support family members who are running. They said they’ve been in cold before, but not in weather that’s cold and wet like today.
10:50 am: At the 15K mark, Shalane Flanagan dropped back to 10th place, though she was only about a second off the leader. The women’s race has remained tight with the top 10 remaining close throughout. Kenyan Gladys Chesir holds a very slight lead with Hiroko Yoshitomi and Maki Ashi, both from Japan, and a few other right behind her.
10:47 am: Marcel Hug, of Switzerland, won the men’s wheelchair division with a time of 1:46:26. For the first 20 miles, he and his closest competitor, Ernst Van Dyk from South Africa, were in a tight race, but Hug was able to pull away. (Van Dyk has nine Boston Marathon titles to his name, winning from 2001 to 2006 and then from 2008 to 2010.) This is Hug’s fourth consecutive win in Boston. Last year, he won the race in 1:18:40. The rain made for a slower race this year.
10:40 am: Nearly half the world’s countries are represented in today’s race.
10:34 am: Tatyana McFadden is in the lead at the 30K mark in the women’s push rim wheelchair race.
10:28 am:
10:25 am: A view of the finish line.
10:20 am: The elite women have crossed the 10K mark at 37:07. Mamitu Daska and Aselefech Mergia are in the lead.
10:00 am: The elite men have crossed the start line and are heading to Boston.
9:55 am: Many of the elite men are wearing lots of layers, ponchos, and jumping in place to stay warm. Less than 10 minutes until they start.
9:50 am: How ‘Cannathletes’ are coming out of the ‘cannabis closet’:
A Different Kind Of Runner’s High: Athletes Turn To Pot To Help With Training
9:38 am: The official starter for the elite women runners was Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Gibb, the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon. Here’s her story, from our archives:
9:35 am: How many people have entered the Boston Marathon? More than the population of Luxembourg.
9:32 am: The elite women runners have crossed the start line. Among them are Edna Kiplagat, last year’s champion who won the race in 2:21:52. (Fun fact about Kiplagat: She’s a policewoman back home in Kenya.) Also in the mix is Shalane Flanagan, the American who won last year’s New York City Marathon in dramatic fashion. Flanagan, who is from Marblehead, is hoping to end her running career with a win in Boston. Other top Americans in the race are Kellyn Taylor, Desiree Linden, Sara Hall and Serena Burla. Jordan Hasay, who came in third last year with a time of 2:23, had to pull out of the race because of a stress reaction in her heel.
9:25 am: Handcycle and duo participants have crossed the start line.
9:15 am: From reporter Esteban Bustillos at the finish line:
9:10 am: Runners board buses that will take them to the start line.
9:04 am: Push rim wheelchair division women’s competitors are now on their way.
9:02 am: And they’re off. Push rim wheelchair division men’s competitors have crossed the start line.
8:58 am: Wheelchair competitors getting ready to start:
8:55 am: WGBH News’ Emily Rooney reflects on the Boston Marathon bombings, five years later.
8:50 am:
8:45 am: From WGBH Reporter Esteban Bustillos, at the finish line:
8:22 am: Reflections from WGBH News’ Molly Boigon, who is running the marathon today:
8:17 am: From WGBH Reporter Maggie Penman, at the start line in Hopkinton:
8:10 am: The first wave is scheduled to start at 8:40 am. While you’re waiting for the race to begin, here are some marathon-related reads from our archives.
