Run It Fast®

Live blog and coverage of the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014. The race starts at 9:30am ET. Our coverage will start a few minutes before.

(REFRESH for Updates)

Top 10 Boston Marathon Male Finishers:
1. Meb Keflezighi (San Diego, Calif.) 2:08:37
2. Wilson Chebet (KEN) 2:08:48
3. Frankline Chepwony (KEN) 2:08:50
4. Vitaliy Shafar (UKR) 2:09:37
5. Markos Geneti (ETH) 2:09:50
6. Joel Kimurer (KEN) 2:11:03
7. Nick Arciniaga (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 2:11:47
8. Jeffrey Eggleston (Boulder, Colo.) 2:11:57
9. Paul Lonyangata (KEN) 2:12:34
10. Adil Annani (MAR) 2:12:43

12:14pm – Only fitting that Meb wins this historic 2014 Boston Marathon one year after the traumatic events of last year’s race.

12:09pm – MEB WINS!!!!!!! 2014 Boston Marathon Winner – Meb Keflezighi fist pumping, urging the crowd on as he approaches the tape! (via @BostonMarathon)

12:08pm – < 1000m to go for Meb. Let's go MEB!!! #runitfast 12:06pm - Last USA win at Boston was in 1983. Meb's drained near empty and second place is making up ground fast. Wilson Chebet is the chaser. 12:05pm - Meb is past 25 miles. Meb 2:02:32 at 25 12:00pm - Meb is at mile 23 with a 4:56 split. Can he? It's sure looking that way.

Top 10 Boston Marathon Female Finishers
1. Rita Jeptoo (KEN) 2:18:57
2. Buzunesh Deba (ETH) 2:19:59
3. Mare Dibaba (ETH) 2:20:35
4. Jemima Jelagat Sumgong 2:20:41
5. Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 2:21:28
6. Aleksandra Duliba (BLR) 2:21:29
7. Shalane Flanagan (USA) 2:22:02
8. Sharon Cherop (KEN) 2:23:00
9. Philes Ongori (KEN) 2:23:22
10. Desiree Linden (USA) 2:23:54

11:58am – Women’s elite winner Rita Jeptoo’s (KEN) 2:28:57 time is a course record. (via @BostonMarathon) Congrats on the repeat and 3rd Boston win. 8th fastest female marathon ever.

11:56am – Shalane Flanagan sets US record for fastest time at Boston Marathon in 2:21:01

11:55am – BOSTON MARATHON FEMALE WINNER: Rita Jeptoo (KEN) sets a course record (~2:18:57) to win the women’s 2014 Boston Marathon. Congrats to Rita who was so strong in finishing.

11:52am – 9 minutes away from Rita Jeptoo winning the Boston Marathon. Meb continues to kick and lead the men.

11:51am – 5:12 mile for Meb over Heartbreak Hill.

11:49am – Rita Jeptoo just knocked off a 4:47 split at mile 24. She is less than 2 miles from winning the 2014 Boston Marathon.

11:48am – Last year’s third place finisher in the men’s field Gebregziabher Gebremariam (ETH) has dropped out of the race at mile 15. (via @BostonMarathon)

11:45am – At 23 miles, the 2013 and 2006 Boston Marathon champion, Rita Jeptoo (KEN), establishes a large lead over the pack (2:03:01/5:14 split). (via @BostonMarathon)

11:44am – Meb is past mile 20 still looking pretty strong. Few signs of fatigue popping up.

11:41am – Amazing that the rest of the elite men have disappeared. Meb is having a great race but he is not blazing the course.

11:39am – Meb Keflezighi turns in a 4:58 clip to reach mile 18 in 1:28:04. (via @BostonMarathon) and 4:47 to mile 19.

11:34am – Mare Dibiba leads the women at mile 21. Meb continues to lead the men and has a large lead of 15 seconds.

11:30am – The women have hit mile 20 and Buzunesh Deba has taken the lead. 4 women remain in lead back. Flanagan has fallen off and out of the lead back.

11:27am – Meb is at mile 16 and his last mile split was 4:37.

11:22am – Meb looks extremely strong yet very relaxed. 25K in 1:15:59

11:21am – Meb has turned it up and is starting to put a bit of distance on Boit. The rest of the elite men must have stopped for a nap because they are no where in the picture at this point.

11:19am – Shalane is looking a bit more strained. 6 elite women are on her shoulder likely waiting for the chance to try to drop the hammer on Flanagan. A very impressive race by Flanagan no matter what happens from this point forward.

11:11am – Meb Keflezighi and Josphat Boit hit the half way point at 1:04.20. Their lead is up to 38 seconds and they are well alone in front of the other elite men.

11:09am – Women are at mile 17. Flanagan starting to get pushed and challenged a bit. (1:30:17)

11:04am – Tatyana McFadden (USA) wins her second straight push rim title (time: 1:35:06). (via @BostonMarathon)

11:02am – We are less than 60 min from having a female winner of the 118th Boston Marathon.

11:00am – 2014 Boston Marathon Finisher’s Medal (Pic)

10:59am – Shalane has been nothing less than dominant to this point. She might be putting something magical together today, but there is a lot of race left.

10:51am – Shalane hits the halfway point and is leading the women at a course record pace. She hit 13.1 in 1:09:25.

10:50am – Meb Keflezighi leading the men’s field at mile 8 by about eight seconds. Total time 39:10, 4:54 split. (via @BostonMarathon)

10:49am – Women are near the half way point. Shalane still up front. Ryan Hall has picked up the pace and is pacing the elite men at this point.

10:42am – Ernst Van Dyk breaks the tape to claim his 10th Boston Marathon title (wheelchair)!

10:41am – The elite women, continued to be led by Shalane Flanagan, are approaching Wellesley College.

10:35am – Flanagan continues to lead the women. Men’s elite led by Hall (USA), Keflezighi (USA) and Markos Geneti (ETH) run a 10k in 30:28. (via @BostonMarathon)

10:32am – Almost an exclusively white field of runners behind the elites today. Hopefully our sport can diversify over the next decade.

10:31am – Elite women pack down to 7 with Shalane leading the group.

10:30am – Wave #2 has been released and thousands more men and women have begin their journey towards Boston.

10:27am – Still a large pack of elite men bundled together. Slow pace so far. It’ll pick up once one of these elite men is tired of plodding along and believes he can get out and put some distance on everyone.

10:25am – The men’s field goes through mile 4 in 19:29 (~2:08:00 pace). (via @BostonMarathon)

10:24am – Men 24 sec behind world record pace at the 5k point.

10:23am – 19 min in and USA’s Meb is leading the 118th Boston Marathon.

10:19am – Tatyana McFadden (USA) distances herself in at mile 15 for the wheelchair women lead (52:21) (via @BostonMarathon)

10:16am – The elite pack of men is currently being led by Americans Ryan Hall and Meb.

10:14am – At the 10K mark (Framingham), Buzunesh Deba (ETH) and Flanagan (USA) pace the elite women’s lead pack (32:32). (via @BostonMarathon)

10:08am – 4:49 pace for the elite men through mile 1.

10:04am – Ernst Van Dyk leads the men’s chair through mile 12 in 34:39. (via @BostonMarathon)

Boston Marathon Qualifying Times/Standards

10:03am – The elite men and corral 1 is off! [TV talking head disses women, “And now it feels like the Boston Marathon has officially begun!”]

10:00am – Lelisa Desisa, last year’s winner, donning bib #1.

9:59am – The elite men are being introduced. Will a course record happen today?

9:57am – Flanagan back up front 24 min in after catching back up after the refueling station. Deba is next within the lead back behind Flanagan.

9:56am – I agree that Abdi strongly resembles Kobe Bryant facially.

9:55am – 5 minutes until the elite men start. How will Americans Ryan and Meb do today?

9:54am – Women field cross the 5K at a blazing 16:10 Flanagan (USA) continues to lead the 12 runner pack. (via @bostonmarathon)

9:52am – Fun Fact: It takes over 10,000 volunteers to put on the Boston Marathon.

9:50am – Shalane Flanagan continues to lead the lead elite women pack with about 10 runners in it.

9:47am – Dick and Ricky Hoyt just started with the rest of the push chairs.

9:46am – Fast start for the women. 5min9sec for the first mile by leader Shalane Flanagan.

9:45am – 15 minutes until the elite men start!

9:33am – The elite women have started! The strongest and deepest field according to many local experts and commentators.

9:31am – The introductions of the elite runners are taking place and we are moments away from the start of the 118th Boston Marathon. 57 degrees for the start of the race.

9:30am ET – Official start time for the elite male and female athletes.

2014 Boston Marathon Elite Men and Women

Watch the Boston Marathon Live TV Feed

Follow us on Twitter @RunItFast

Follow us on Instagram @RunItFast

Here is a look at the elite male and female runners that will be running the 2014 Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 at 9:30AM ET.

[source: BAA]

This is the finisher’s medal for the London Marathon that took place on April 13, 2014 in London, United Kingdom.

Here’s a view of the back which is pretty cool too:

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by 100 MedalMissionMart – follow him on Twitter @greasygringo666]

This is the very cool finisher’s medal for the Martian Marathon that took place on April 12, 2014 in Dearborn, Michigan.

I have got to put this race on my to-do list!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by RIF #108 Mark Sikkila. Follow him on Twitter @MarkSikkila]

On the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing we remember not only those that lost their lives or were injured on that tragic day, but we remember all of the heroic first responders, police officers, volunteers, and fellow runners that helped injured runners, spectators, loved ones, and brought reassurance to all that were shaken on that gloomy Boston afternoon.

What we learned that day is that runners are an extremely tight knit community, even if we come from various backgrounds, beliefs, and ideologies.

The city of Boston’s police, firefighters, first aid responders, hospitals, and doctors were flawless that day during extremely traumatic circumstances.

Marathon runners and their families that day found solace in each other’s embrace, warmth, and strength as a group.  The rest of us runners that weren’t there united in prayer while raising support emotionally and financially in order to keep spirits afloat.  We used our legs in the ensuing weeks to show that two deranged bombers couldn’t terrorize us from racing or scare us away from running.

It’s catchy to say ‘Boston Strong!’ but in actuality it’s ‘Runner Strong!’  Runners from all over the United States and globe have each other’s backs in good times, bad times, and when terror strikes we unite closer than most countries do during an attack or natural disaster.

Running has helped thousands of runners overcome addiction, loss of life, pain, and create a new and healthier lifestyle. So inherently it’s a very strong group. Running only makes us stronger and closer. When something like the bombing at the Boston Marathon happens strengthens our bond and shows the very best of all of us.

So today we remember those we lost and those that lost limb or health that day. We raise them up, not just with our legs, but with our hearts and in remembrance, not only today, but every time we lace up our running shoes or simply think about them.

-Joshua Holmes

Wilson Kipsang Wins 2014 London Marathon

Kenaya’s Wilson Kipsang won the 2014 London Marathon earlier today in England with a winning time of 2:04:29. Kipsang is the current World Record holder with a time of 2:03:23 at the Berlin Marathon last year.

Runner-up to Kipsang was fellow countryman Stanley Biwott close behind in 2:04:55. It was a really strong performance from Biwott as he was not one of the top handful of favorites.

Third place for the men went to Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede.  He finished a good ways back (relatively speaking) in 2:06:30 Kebede was the defending champ from last year’s race.

Ayele Abshero (Ethiopia) finished 4th in 2:06:31 just a second off a podium finish with Tsegaye Mekonnen (Ethiopia) rounding out the top 5 with a time of 2:08:06

Much heralded Brit Mo Farah making his marathon debut finished a very respectable 8th place in 2:08:21, just 15 seconds behind a tightly bunched group that would have garnered him 5th place.

Another success story to come from the marathon was American Ryan Vail who finished 10th overall in 2:10:57.

Edna Kiplagat Wins 2014 London Marathon for the Women

For the women it was Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat winning the 2014 London Marathon in 2:20:21.

Fellow countrywoman Florence Kiplagat finished extremely close behind Edna in 2:20:24 with Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba 11 seconds behind her in 2:20:35.

2014 London Marathon Results

More London Marathon Coverage

The 2014 London Marathon takes place tomorrow, April 13, 2014, in London, England.

Below you’ll find several links to stories about the race and information related to the race that hopefully you will find helpful.

London Marathon on Twitter @LondonMarathon

The official hashtag for the race is #LondonMarathon

London Marathon Favorites – The Men:

• Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) – defending champion
• Ayele Abshero (Ethiopia)  – 3rd last year
• Tsegaye Mekonnen (Ethiopia)- 18 years old, 2:04:32 PR
• Feyisa Lelisa (Ethiopia) – 2 marathon wins
• Ibrahim Jeilan (Ethiopia) – Debut marathon, chief rival of Mo Farah
• Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) – Pace setter to 30km
• Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) – Holds world record of 2:03:23 (Berlin)
• Emmanual Mutai (Kenya) – London Marathon record holder in 2:04:40
• Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) – Fastest unofficial marathon (Boston) in 2:03:02
• Stanley Biwott (Kenya) – 2012 Paris Marathon winner
• Mo Farah (Great Britain) – Much hyped and anticipated marathon debut
• Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) – 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2013 World Championship
• Samuel Tsegaye (Eritrea) – 2:07:28 PR
• Marilson dos Santos (Brazil) – 2x New York City Marathon winner, 37 years old
• Ryan Vail (USA) – First American at NYC Marathon last year, 2:11:45 PR

London Marathon Favorites – The Women:

• Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) – 2012 Olympic gold, 2:18:58 PR
• Florence Kiplagat (Kenya) – Half Marathon record holder, 2x Berlin Marathon winner
• Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) – Several big marathon wins, 2:19:50 PR (London)
• Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) – 2013 London and and New York City Marathon winner
• Aberu Kebede (Ethiopia) – Won the Berlin Marathon in 2010, 2012 and Toyko 2013
• Feysa Tadesse (Ethiopia) – London debut, handful of marathon wins at non-Worlds
• Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko (Ukraine) – 2012, 2013 Osaka Marathon winner
• Jessica Augusto (Portugal) – 7th at 2012 Olympics
• Kim Smith (New Zealand) – 4th at 2010 New York City Marathon
• Ana Dulce Felix (Portugal) – 4th at 2011 New York City Marathon
• Nadia Ejjafini (Italy) – 2:26:15 PR
• Diane Nukuri-Johnson (Burundi) – 2:29:54 PR, lives in Iowa City, Iowa (USA)

All eyes will be on London’s Mo Farah making his marathon debut. Runner’s World asked several experts to predict his finishing time. The experts had him from 2:04 (winning the race) to 2:07. See all the predictions HERE.

Tracking and Results of the 2014 London Marathon

What time does the race start?

• Wheelchair Racers: 8:55am
• Paralympic Athletes: 9:00am
• Elite Women Blue Start: 9:15am
• Elite Men Blue/Red/Green Start: 10:00am
• -all times local London time.

More details on start times HERE.

Weather forecast for the London Marathon

Interactive Map of the 2014 London Marathon Course

Tweets from the London Marathon’s Twitter Account
Tweets by @LondonMarathon

This is the finisher’s medal from the Big D Marathon that was held on April 6, 2014 in Dallas, Texas.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #258 Alex Barrientos- follow him on Twitter @alexb214]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Andrew Jackson Marathon that took place on March 22, 2014 in Jackson, Tennessee.

This is another view of the medal:

[Medals submitted by  RIF #4 Marj Mitchell -follow her on Twitter @marathonmarj and by RIF #280 Suzy Michelson – follow her on Twitter @bookaroo32]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Greenway Marathon that was held on March 23, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Here’s another view of the medal:

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medals submitted by RIF #181 Donna Pittman – follow her on Twitter @RunslikePhoebe and by RIF #280 Suzy Michelson – follow her on Twitter @bookaroo32]