Make no mistake, this was a different Boston.
Boston Strong. Absolutely. But to reach the finish line on Boylston Street, athletes in the 125th Boston Marathon first had to be Hopkinton hardened, Ashland ready, Framingham resilient, Natick tough, Wellesley sturdy, Newton indestructible and Brookline unbreakable. Make no mistake, this was a different Boston. Unlike in 2019, when more than 30,000 athletes completed the 26.2-mile journey, about 18,000 started in Hopkinton. There were also far fewer spectators than normal. All volunteers wore masks; a few spectators did as well. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 race was cancelled and instead of a typical April event, the marathon was pushed back to October. Leaves fell onto the course, an odd sight for veteran runners. But in many ways normalcy returned. Spectators cheered. Bands cranked out live music. Signs (“May the course be with you”) were everywhere. The Boston Marathon, after an absence of 30 months, was back. It was quite a day. 9:45 a.m. A couple of hundred yards past the Newton fire station, after the athletes took a right on Commonwealth Avenue, women’s wheelchair athlete Eva Houston struggles to take on the first of several hills which culminate with Heartbreak Hill. Houston slowly makes her way toward the 18-mile mark. Leaves are falling on the road and spectators are yelling out support. It’s backbreaking work and Houston barely looks up. Finally, thankfully, she crests the hill and begins a downward path. The relief on her face is unmistakable. Houston finishes 10th in her division. 10:08 a.m. There is a buzz in the air. The elite men are coming toward the 30K (18.6 mile) mark. But there is no lead pack. Just a surprising sight: American runner CJ Albertson isn’t just in the lead. He’s alone and has about a 45-second lead. It’s a stunning development. A pack of about 15 runners follows. In the crowd is Benson Kipruto of Kenya, who goes on to win the race in 2 hours,9 minutes and 51 seconds. Albertson, of Fresno, Calif., finishes as the second American and 10th overall. The top U.S. finisher, seventh overall, is Colin Bennie of Princeton, Mass.
