The records keep on coming for U.S. runners at the 2014 Boston Marathon.
On a day when American Meb Keflezighi become the first male U.S. runner to win the Boston Marathon since 1983, Marblehead, Mass., native Shalane Flanagan made history by posting the fastest time ever for an American woman on the Boston course.
The 32-year-old finished seventh overall, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 2 seconds and beating her personal best by more than three minutes.
“I was so excited to be a part of this city and to feel the love I felt,” Flanagan told the Boston Globe after Monday’s race. “I felt like my insides were shaking — it was so loud, my ears almost hurt. It was one of the most memorable, amazing days for the city of Boston and our nation.”
Flanagan, who was a decorated runner at Marblehead High School, set a torrid pace to start and led the field for the majority of the race before finally relinquishing the lead around mile 20.
“I had fallen in love with this course,” Flanagan said. “I wanted to use it as an advantage, and that’s why I attacked the course. I wanted to give it everything I had.”
The race’s winner, Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo, set a new course record with a time of 2:18:57. While Flanagan hoped her time of 2:22:02 would be fast enough to win it all, she says she will return in 2015 to give the race another shot.
“I can say right now, I’ll be back here until I win it,” Flanagan said. “I’ll be back to challenge Jeptoo.”
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BuzzFeedSports
