Pace Setter : May 2024

Capturing Moments at the Boston Marathon 2024

By John Parisella

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Carol Reardon and I traveled to Boston on the 13th through the 15th to have a weekend adventure … and to watch the Boston Marathon. As expected, there were thousands upon thousands of other visitors and runners arriving in the city and exploring the streets, restaurants and stores. We ran into a few friends who were also in the city to watch their now-adult children run the race.

We brought bicycles and this made getting around a bit easier - once a stubborn flat tire and a suddenly broken pump were managed.

The night before the race we joined a college friend and teammate of mine for a light dinner on a cruise in the Boston Harbor. We sailed past several of the island parks in the harbor, sailed by the USS Constitution at sunset, when the ship blasts a cannon every day, and viewed the Boston skyline after the sun went down.

Race day weather was spectacular for spectators. From the hotel we rode the bikes uptown on Summer Street and Tremont Street, through Boston Common, past the shuttle buses quickly filling with runners heading out to Hopkinton. We made our way up to Newbury Street and then over to Commonwealth Avenue. We found the new spot-on Commonwealth Ave. where the runners bear left into the Massachusetts  Avenue underpass. This area is good because it’s actually in the usual traffic lane of Commonwealth Ave. and the runners would be streaming directly toward us just before they bear left. It allows a fantastic view all the way down the street well beyond the large vertical “One Mile to GO” banners just in front of the iconic CITGO sign.

From our vantage point, with a decent telephoto lens, I could observe when the press trucks and truck with the race clock made the turn onto Commonwealth Ave. from Beacon Street at Kenmore Square, heralding the leaders in each group. First came the lead para-athletes and then elite men and next were the  elite women.

From this point we watched with great excitement as one after the other of the leaders passed our spot, waiting to see the top Americans. One after the other, Americans CJ Albertson, Matt McDonald, Emma Bates, Sara Hall, Des Linden and first-timer, 2011 World 1500-meter Champion, Jenny Simpson raced by us to very loud crowd cheers.

Soon, the top local and known runners we were able to pick out raced past us including Mohawk Hudson River Marathon winner Joseph Whelan (2:22), Pacesetter Editor Thomas O’Grady (2:39). Soon after, the team of Shay and Shaun Evans (ASICS Team Evans) raced past finishing in an amazing 2:55! I know some other local speedsters were coming by us but, despite what I think was strong attentiveness, I missed Wei Ma, whom I know had a fine race, finishing with a 3:10. I am still scanning my videos of that period in the race. Wei was just behind 2014 Boston Champion Meb Keflizghi. (3:08)

Here are some of the photos I was able to capture.

Police escort making way for 2024 Boston Marathon Champion, Sisay Lemma, during the home stretch of the 2024 Boston Marathon as he hits 1-mile to go.

Emma Bates, the top American and 12th overall female distance runner at the 2024 Boston Marathon en route to her 2:27:14 finish.

CJ Albertson, the top American and 7th overall finisher of the 2024 Boston Marathon making his way to a 2:09:53 finish.

Joseph Whelan, an upstate New York athlete from Webster and top finisher at many local races making his way to a 2:22:44 finishing time and a 38th place overall finish.

Shaun and Shamus Evans of Middle Grove, NY ran a phenomenal 2:55:35 for 2nd place overall in the Duo category.

Sara Hall heads to the finish with a time of 2:27:58 (15th place female).

Des Linden, the 2018 Boston Marathon Champion, in close pursuit of Sara Hall and on her way to a 2:28:27 finishing time (16th female, 95th overall).

Jenny Simpson nearing the finish with a time of 2:31:39 and an 18th place finish among females.

The PaceSetter editor, Thomas O’Grady (Bib 735), makes his way to his 10th Boston Marathon finish with a time of 2:39:09.