A Brutal Boston Marathon

Today's 122nd Boston Marathon was run in absolutely brutal conditions with heavy rain, temperatures creeping barely above 40, and a brutal cold, easterly wind with gusts exceeding 30 mph in the runners' faces the entire way.

Among the elite women,  Ethiopian Mamitu Daska was constantly threatening to break away early in the race and finally did so at about the halfway point, opening up significant lead. But the push up Heartbreak Hill broke her and she was quickly passed by Kenyan Rebecca Chesir and American Desiree Linden, who had lost here at Boston by a mere two seconds back in 2011. Linden was not to be denied this year as she quickly powered by Chesir and ran away with the win over the last 5K in a respectable 2:39:54 considering the conditions. With her win, Linden becomes the first American woman to win Boston since 1985.

On the men's side, Kenyan Geoffrey Kirui looked like he was ready to repeat again this year as he built a healthy lead relatively early and seemed to be holding on over Heartbreak Hill. But he faded in the stretch and Japanese marathon machine Yuki Kawauchi passed Kirui and powered through some of the heaviest rain over the last 2K to win in 2:15:54. Kirui managed to hold on for second.

Kawauchi is truly the marathon man, averaging a marathon per month. Last year he ran 12 marathons, wining five. This year he had already run three marathons, including one near Boston on New Year's Day where he was the only finisher due to the extreme cold. The 30 year old runner has already run 76 sub-2:20 marathons, a record. Like Linden, Kawauchi's win broke a 30 year drought for the Japanese.

The wheelchair races were dominated by the usual suspects, with American Tatyana McFadden rolling away with her fifth Boston victory and Switzerland's Marcel Hug taking his fourth consecutive Boston. McFadden's win giver her the most major marathon victories ever, with 22 and seemingly more to follow.

My good friend Ben Beach is still out on course as I post this, Fighting the truly awful elements in his attempt to complete his 51st consecutive Boston Marathon. Go, Ben, go!