In Boston

Kenya’s ageless Edna Kiplagat and Eliud Kipchoge are the red-hot favourites lining up for Monday’s Boston Marathon with organisers confident the men’s course record will fall given the fast field.

Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai holds the Boston course record at two hours, three minutes and two seconds, clocked in 2011, but the entry of Kipchoge has had race president Jack Flemming already signing the $50,000 (Sh6.6 million) bonus cheque for the fastest mark in the 127-year-old race.

This is in addition to the $150,000 (Sh19.9 million) on offer for the race winner.

Kipchoge will be making a dream debut in Boston aiming to become the first man to win all six World Marathon Majors races having already triumphed in Tokyo, London, Chicago and Berlin.

He is expected to also enter the New York City Marathon in November to complete the haul.

The Boston Marathon is the oldest and certainly the most prestigious of all marathon races, having been first organized by the Boston Athletics Association (BAA) in April 1897.

This event traditionally takes place on the third Monday of April, on Patriots Day, a state holiday celebrated in Massachusetts and Maine.

This is a day commemorating the start of The American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence, which was a major step in the independence of the United States.

On Patriots Day, history reminds us about the battles of Lexington and Concord, as well as the first bloodshed of the Civil War.

Boston is the 24th largest city in the United States and is the birthplace of the American revolution (about 5,500 Kenyans live in Massachusetts).

Boston is also regarded as the epicenter of American Higher Education, with the Greater Boston area being home to about 49 colleges and universities including specialty higher academic institutions.   

The start line of the marathon is in the city Hopkinton, West of Boston, with the route snaking through at least 10 towns and cities down to the finish line at Copley Square in downtown Boston.

It will be remembered that in 2013, two homemade bombs were set off on Boylston Street killing three spectators and injuring more than 200.

This year's event welcomes more than 30,000 runners representing 121 countries, and is watched by millions around the world. This number is the highest since 2019.

The professional men’s race will kick off at 9:37 am local time (4:37 pm Kenyan) and the women’s race at 9:47 am (4:47 pm Kenyan).

It is anticipated to be a wet day with steady, heavy rain expected from morning until mid-afternoon.

Temperatures will hover between eight and 14 degrees throughout the day and winds will also increase during the day, topping out at 10 to 15 mph with higher gusts.

Viola Cheptoo Lagat, among the Kenyans in the women’s field, who said she was upbeat and ready for the race but expressed concern about the wet conditions, which she said may render the road slippery leading to reduced speeds.

Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto will be running in Boston for the fourth time is excited to compete against his icon Kipchoge, hoping to improve on his personal best time and arguing that Kipchoge won’t affect his game plan.

“I’m inspired to run against Eliud because he’s an inspiration to me, but we have some other strong guys. Eliud has never raced in Boston and I have the “home advantage”. Having him here will change the dynamics a little bit, but not so much,” said Kipruto, winner in Boston in 2021 before clocking a personal best two hours, four minutes and 24 seconds in Chicago last year.

The Boston marathon is known for its challenging course, with runners facing rolling hills, the most notable one being “hearbreak hill” (a steep half-mile climb at mile 20).

Speaking at the guest panel event on Saturday, defending champion Edna Kiplagat exuded confidence, saying that her tough training regime has prepared her well for the course.

“I’ve run very many marathons, and I think I’m mentally and physically prepared,” the 42-year-old, known for her perseverance, intimated.

She noted that when she is mentally in good shape, pain and fatigue never get in her way.

“I don't stop because I'm tired or in pain, I stop when I'm done," she said.

The mood in Boston can only be described as festive, with thousands of people flocking into town to be part of this great day.

Cheers followed marathon record holder Kipchoge wherever he went and his presence in Boston certainly injected a lot of excitement among fans who traveled from all over the country to catch a glimpse of the champion.

Kipchoge has an almost cult-like following among athletic fans in America.

Acknowledging the fans who came out to see him at the finish line this afternoon, Kipchoge called for unity through sport.

“A running world is a healthy, peaceful, and united world,” said the athlete, who is aptly nicknamed “the philosopher.”

Scores of Kenyans, some who traveled from other states were eager to see the national flag flying at the finish line.

A watch party dubbed “Boston Marathon Kenyan Rooftop Party” will be held in downtown Boston on the day of the event, starting from 10am.

According to the organizer, Ezra Mwangi (Popularly known as DJ Husky), the family-friendly event will bring together Kenyans from all over the USA to cheer on the athletes and celebrate Kenyan unity in the diaspora.

DJ Husky, who is based in Worcester, MA has been organizing similar events for the last 16 years.

He said that the idea for the re-union party was born out of the need for Kenyans to congregate on the sidelines of the marathon and enjoy Kenyan hospitality as well as meet and greet the Kenyan champions.

While he expressed fears that the event might be rained out this year, the DJ said he was ready and well prepared to host Kenyans who started arriving in Boston early in the week in readiness for Boston 2023 race day.

Kenyan field at the 127th Boston Marathon:

Men:

1. Eliud Kipchoge

2. Evans Chebet

3. Benson Kipruto

4. John Korir

5. Norbert Kigen

6. Mark Korir

7. Michael Githae

8. Albert Korir

Women:

1. Sheila Chepkirui

2. Joyciline Jepkosgei

3. Angela Tanui

4. Fancy Chemutai

5. Edna Kiplagat

6. Celestine Chepchirchir

7. Maurine Chepkemoi

8. Mary Ngugi

9. Vibian Chepkirui

10. Viola Cheptoo