Kenyan runners dominated the 108th Boston Marathon Monday, winning the men’s and women’s categories, while a South African man took his fourth win in the wheelchair race and a California woman won the women’s wheelchair race.
Kenyan Timothy Cherigat won the men’s race in 2:10:37 and fellow Kenyan Catharine Ndereba won the women’s race for a third time with a time of 2:24:27. Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa broke a course wheelchair record with a 1:18:27 finish, and California native Cheri Blauwet drove ahead of her competition to win the women’s wheelchair category in 1:39:53.
For the first time in the race’s history, the women’s race started 29 minutes earlier the men’s. According to Bob Egan, 30, a security volunteer, the change was to minimize the swarms of runners, staff and volunteers at the finish line and allow medical personnel to help overheated and dehydrated runners more efficiently.
“We definitely wanted to get away from more crowding at the finish line,” Egan said. “Especially since the heat has had such a huge effect on the runners and on the preparation for the marathon.”
The Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the race, used computer technology this year to improve the accuracy of runners’ times. As each runner passed the Copley Square finish, a computer chip on the runner’s ankle transmitted the competitor’s information to computers, allowing race organizers to accurately announce the finisher’s name, time and hometown.
Nearly 3,000 volunteers, divided into teams of 20, were stationed at the finish to assist runners. Volunteers secured press vehicles and served refreshments to exhausted runners, said team captain Ken Michaud, a marathon volunteer for eight years.
Volunteers also handed runners bottled water and wrapped them in silver Mylar insulation sheets to retain body heat. As runners passed through the next station, volunteers removed the chips from their ankles and presented medals.
Janet Sterman, a “chips and medals station” volunteer and Boston University graduate, said she had originally agreed to work at the marathon as a favor to a friend but enjoyed the experience.
“It’s really exciting being here at the center of all the action and seeing all the runners coming in and getting their medals,” she said. “I definitely plan to do it again next year.”
Jim Grossman, a Boston Public Works worker who had been at the finish line since 6 a.m., said cleaning up the race would be tougher this year because of financial hard-times for the BAA.
“I’ve been working the Boston Marathon for 18 years and I love it,” he said. “Even though this year, we have half the amount of workers due to budget cuts.”
After the runners received their medals and gift bags, they proceeded to a massage station, boarded buses back to Hopkinton and met up with family and friends.
Family members anxiously searched for familiar faces and held up signs to get loved-ones’ attention. Some had designed shirts and banners with their runner’s registration number.
David Akers scanned the finish line, searching for his wife, Ann, who at age 65 was competing in the veteran’s division. She had already won six state titles in her home state of Georgia.
“She was hoping to set a division record but I don’t think it’s going to happen with this heat,” he said. “This is her first year competing in the marathon, though she has qualified 15 times. But I just checked in with HP people and she was slowing down at the 20-mile marker, probably due to dehydration.”
Nearby, Bill Quinn embraced his son, runner Sean Quinn, after he passed the finish line. A junior and soccer player for the College of New Jersey, Quinn had never before competed in the marathon but said he was eager to do it again.
“I finished in three hours and 11 minutes. I hoped to finish under three hours but the heat really got to me,” he said. “I really started cramping up around mile 21.”
Ed Swanson, a 56-year-old physical therapist and volunteer medical assistant, said marathon organizers had to prepare to prevent heat exhaustion caused by temperatures which rose into the 80s throughout the day.
“Often once the runners pass the finish line, they can’t walk anymore,” he said. “Luckily there have only been a few instances where people have passed out and needed immediate attention today. Much less than expected.”
Area businesses increased staff and supplies anticipating marathon crowds.
“We got a lot of beer and a lot of ice,” said Jeff Vishnik, bar manager of the Cottonwood Restaurant and Café. “Every year this is one of the busiest places around. We have a lot of extra staff on hand and are just trying to make sure everyone is satisfied so that they come back again next year.”
“It’s such a great day,” he added. “It’s the first real sign of spring in Boston. The city just wakes up.”