It did pay for Desiree Linden to keep going Monday at the Boston Marathon

Everyone knows by now that the weather Monday in Boston was bad. Shalane Flanagan posted, “Those were the most brutal conditions I’ve ever run in.” But one woman just kept putting one foot in front of the other until the end. Desiree Linden even at one point waited for Shalane when she used the bathroom. This brief break, might have helped Desiree get life back in her legs as well. Desiree caught back up to the lead pack but Shalane couldn’t hang. In the end Desiree won by nearly four minutes and became the the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since Lisa Rainsberger in 1985. Afterwards she said there were many moments she wanted to stop but she kept on going. Was it worth it? For her efforts she was given a check for $150,000. She could have easily not finished. It is interesting to note that according to the race director 95.5% of those who started finished. Very impressive but then again marathoners are a different breed.

posted Tuesday April 17th
by Bob Anderson