Boston Marathon 2023: Always Phenomenal

by Chris Bishop

The Boston Marathon is the Gold Standard by which other marathons are measured. Not only is it the oldest 26.2 race in the world, but it has also cheering crowds lining every inch of the way, making runners feel like super stars even though the weather might be gruesome. It is their moment to shine with or without the sun.  The section by Wellesley College is known as the Scream Tunnel, a halfway point where runners are noisily and joyfully greeted and sometimes kissed.

Liz Chauhan said this about her experience:

2023 was a tough one. I had a time goal for the first time in a long time and just struggled to hit a smooth pace. I decided around the 15k to try to run solid, enjoy every minute and SMILE up every hill and high five when I got the chance. This is the famous scream tunnel. It’s amazing. You feel like a rockstar. I truly feel grateful my body can do this and I have support from my husband, son, and so many others.

This year’s marathon held the promise of seeing Eliud Kipchoge, the odds on favorite, crush his competitors, but surprisingly it was not to be.  The hills of Boston and its chilly weather affected him as it does other mortals much to everyone’s disbelief.  Another surprise was in store when an American, Emma Bates, was the rabbit until the last few miles in the women’s race. She came in fifth causing many high fives throughout America. The woman in third place fell after being tripped, but somehow managed to get up and finished in fourth displaying marathon moxie. 

In baseball on Patriots’ Day, the Boston Red Sox also faced a legendary sports figure, some of whom class with Babe Ruth, Shohei Ohtani, who did not fail to disappoint, but the weather did him in too making it so he could not complete crushing the Sox. (His teammates did though.)

This year was important as it was the tenth anniversary of the Boston Bombing that claimed lives and injured over 300 others. 

Boston Marathon, a race so fine…
In memory of those, who lost their lives
We’ll never forget their sacrifice
Boston Strong, we’ll always be
A symbol of resilience, for all to see.

Two of sport’s best — EliudKipchoge and Shohei Ohtani — were in town, but rain fell on their parade
       By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff, Updated April 17, 2023, 6:00 p.m.

 

Hundreds of Golden Retrievers Walk a Mile for the Official Boston Marathon Dog

List of local winners painstakingly put together for us and readers of the Schenectady Gazette by their ultra talented sports writer: Mike MacAdams.

Dan McGrath (39, Whitehall), 2:33:01;
Daryn Hutchings (26, Saratoga Springs), 2:34:09;
John Longo (32, Waterford), 2:35:34;
Thomas O’Grady (37, Slingerlands), 2:35:57
Cameron Davis (22, Delmar), 2:36:51;
Cusato, Anthony (23, Guilderland, NY), 2:41:27
Robert Ordish (37, Schenectady), 2:45:40;
Alexander Perry (34, Albany), 2:45:46;
Michael Ventimiglia (28, Queensbury), 2:57:05;
Richard Homenick (29, Niskayuna), 2:58:15;
Jonathan Louden (38, Clifton Park), 2:58:19.
Bradley Lewis (36, Troy), 2:58:27;
David Troischt (56, Mechanicville), 2:58:31;
Derek Grout (50, Valatie), 3:00:21;
Wei Ma (45, Clifton Park), 3:00:46;
Patric Brew (54, Kinderhook), 3:01:25
Matthias Kirchner (40, Cohoes), 3:02:20;
Matt Crave (46, Schenectady), 3:02:45
Zhaolin Cheng (48, Albany), 3:05:24;
Joshua Farrell (47, Albany), 3:06:41;
Lawrence French (44, Gansevoort), 3:09:12.
Katherine Guilbo (26, Rensselaer), 3:10:08;
Erika Abrantes (24, Lake George), 3:14:54;
Michael Letzring (45, Schuylerville), 3:15:36;
Steven Tinkler (57, Clifton Park), 3:16:40;
Amanda Aussems (29, Slingerlands), 3:17:20;
Tara Travis (26, Clifton Park), 3:19:48;
Kimberly Milton (41, Clifton Park), 3:24:00;
Elizabeth Chauhan (38, Albany), 3:24:30;
Amanda Carroll (41, Albany), 3:25:36;
Rudean Reynolds (62, Troy), 3:27:28.
Colin Crowley (45, Ballston Spa), 3:28:06;
Karen Dolge (52, Valatie), 3:28:59;
Randal Bushart (55, Selkirk), 3:29:05;
Dina St. Claire (54, Whitehall), 3:30:36;
Larry Clevenger (61, Saratoga Springs), 3:30:47;
Peter Pochily (55, Jefferson), 3:31:08;
Oswaldo Rodriguez (44, Schenectady), 3:31:12;
Michelle Hughes (52, Clifton Park), 3:31:42;
Stuart Palczak (58, Amsterdam), 3:32:18;
Yanping Shen (44, Saratoga Springs), 3:37:08;
Veronica Armbruster (57, Selkirk), 3:40:49.
Brian Coyne (60, Albany), 3:43:28;
Hwasoo Lee (56, Clifton Park), 3:43:44;
Megan James (33, Charlton), 3:43:52;
Elisha Lyons (47, Hoosick Falls), 3:44:47;
Paul Moore (58, Glenville), 3:47:25;
Trudy Boulia (50, Delanson), 3:48:46;
Pedro Blanco (47, Schenectady), 3:49:39;
Renee Wing (43, Troy), 3:49:42;
Lauren Hamilton (58, Schenectady), 3:50:37;
Jon Gurney (60, Albany), 3:52:09.
Coraline Falco (45, Albany), 3:52:48;
Ellen McGrath (36, Whitehall), 3:56:07;
Sharon Caruso (56, Latham), 3:59:24;
Meghan Bucher (22, Delmar), 4:00:40; Brian Borden (59, Altamont), 4:02:08; Christine Stanavich (52, Amsterdam), 4:03:07;
TJ Sherwin (36, Albany), 4:06:28;
Craig Dubois (59, Sprakers), 4:07:21;
Joe Aliberti (73, Voorheesville), 4:19:39;
Daniel Larson (71, Queensbury), 4:23:43**
Theresa Delorenzo (45, Waterford), 4:25:17;
John Geesler (64, St. Johnsville), 4:26:27;
Martha Degrazia (72, Slingerlands), 4:40:59;
Leigh Anne Clevenger (61, Saratoga Springs), 4:42:38;
Kristin Quinn (41, Latham), 4:54:42;
Timothy Welles (63, Albany), 5:09:55;
Kim Law (65, East Greenbush), 5:37:18.
 

Memorable statements about Boston Marathon 2023

John Longo

It’s so hard to believe that it’s been ten years since those terrible Boston bombings!

You can tell the city has not forgotten either. Everywhere you looked the city was paying their respects and homage to those affected. The Red Sox wore blue and yellow, had families take part in pregame ceremonies all weekend, David Ortiz’s speech was being replayed on all the local stations, there signs were in people’s yards and murals painted on buildings.

For an event with so much positive history it was good to see they hadn’t forgotten the negative and important as well.

To be in same vicinity as Kipchoge was pretty cool. The city was on “Kipchoge watch” and there were rumors of him running on the esplanade or in Franklin park as early as Thursday. It added an extra buzz to an already hyped-up event.

This is a tough course and has a way of humbling you. It’s refreshing to see even the best in the word can also struggle there. At the same time, it was a little disappointing to not have been at “the Boston Kipchoge won!” We know he’s going to come back and try this again which means this 6th place will likely fade from memory eventually.

We were all surprised when we crossed the line and heard that Kipchoge had lost. None of the volunteers at the finish line could tell us who won but they knew Kipchoge got 6th.

Tricia and I have never done this together. Maybe one day we’ll do it together and to enjoy the atmosphere.

TJ Sherwin

The Boston marathon is over. I finished in 4:06:28. It was a wonderful day being out there. Sure, it rained.  Heck, it poured sometimes during the race. But it was still a beautiful day. You just have to look at it from the right angle. Boston isn’t just a race. It’s also a journey. The friends you make along the way are amazing and all the support along the way.  Making that last turn on to Boylston street was so exciting and sad at the same time all because that’s it. The race is over. It makes me want to run that whole thing again.

Thanks to Lara for coming along with me all weekend and making it exciting waiting for me at the finish line. And Al for running the first half of the race with me. Slowing me down as needed. So I could save some energy for the last half And Mike for doing the 2nd half of the race. He had the harder part which was finding Heartbreak hill, which we still didn’t find. It all looks flat to me. LOL!

Mat Nark

The Boston Marathon is always an adventure! This year Boston concluded a 3 day run where we put a gang of athletes out there to compete. With 6 races in three days, we got many chances to test our fitness. At Boston we snagged three PR's while having a very solid showing across the board with almost everyone at or near their goals.

Anthony Cusato - 90 sec PR to 2:41:27!
Melissa Hine - Solid at 3:05:31
Steven Tinkler - Almost 4 min PR to 3:16:40!
Amy Balash - 1 min off goal at 3:30:56
Elisha Lyons - Almost 5 min PR 3:44:47
Trudy Boulia - Best Boston EVER at 3:48:46!
Kim Law - Not so fun run!
Amanda Carroll - 3:25
Peter Pochily - 3:31:08 just off goal by a minute

TomOGradyMedals.jpg

 

Tom O'Grady, our book reviewer and frequent contributor, wearing medals from the 9 Boston Marathons he has run. This year he came in third locally with 2:35:57 and many times has come in first locally. He ran it in 2:28:39 in 2014!


Great Links

Boston Marathon: Zdeno Chara? Doug Flutie? Brock Holt? Who won ex-athlete division?

27 nonbinary athletes are running the Boston Marathon. The division is a ‘sanctuary’ amid a rise of anti-trans legislation.

How Heartbreak Hill Got its Name: The Story of the Narragansett Indian Ellison “Tarzan” Brown  (Ed. Note: Written by my husband!)

All articles in Pace Setter on Boston Marathon!

Amazing Facts about the Boston Marathon


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