Amazing Photos From the 114th Running of the Boston Marathon

Whether you refer to it as Patriots’ Day, Marathon Monday or simply a day off, April 19 was a huge day for sports fans in the greater Boston area.

Between the early start at Fenway Park between the Red Sox and Rays and the Bruins-Sabres playoff game later that night at the TD Garden, it was already a busy sports weekday. But with over 26,000 runners descending on the Hub to compete in the 114th running of the Boston Marathon, Monday was a special day in our fair city.

Follow along as we take you through 10 images spotlighting the incredible emotion and excitement of the 2010 Boston Marathon.

Runners set off at the start the 114th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Mass. (Michael Dwyer, AP)

Wellesley College student Lauren Dow of Bethlehem, Pa., gets a kiss from a plucky runner as he passes the college during Monday’s Boston Marathon. (Mary Schwalm, AP)

Men’s wheelchair winner Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa crosses the finish line just ahead of second-place finisher Krige Schabort of the U.S. The victory is Van Dyk’s ninth win in Boston, a record for all divisions. (Elise Amendola, AP)

How about a drink? Discarded cups litter the street on the marathon route in Wellesley, Mass. (Mary Schwalm, AP)

Michael Arnstein of New York City looks both exhausted and elated after crossing the finish line in Boston. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye, AP)

It’s gotta be the shoes! A pack of runners crosses the start line in Hopkinton, Mass. (Michael Dwyer, AP)

Women’s wheelchair winner Wakako Tsuchida of Japan shows some emotion as she breaks the tape at the finish line in Boston. (Elise Amendola, AP)

Fans stand on barricades lining the course as they cheer on runners in Wellesley, Mass. (Mary Schwalm, AP)

Enza Sambataro is greeted by her husband, Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox, left, and son Michael as she crosses the finish line downtown. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye, AP)

Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya raises his arms as he crosses the finish line to win the 114th running of the Boston Marathon. Cheruiyot won in a record time of 2 hours, 5 minutes and 52 seconds, crushing by 82 seconds the previous course record, a mark held by four-time winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, who is not related to this year’s winner. (Charles Krupa, AP)