By Abigail Royle 4/18/2018
For the first time in 33 years, an American woman won the Boston Marathon on Monday. Desi Linden crossed the finish line with a time of 2:39:54. The marathon runners were pushed to their limits this year as cold weather, rain and wind took their toll on the pace of the race, causing it to be the slowest women’s finish since 1978.
A native of Washington Township, Mich., Linden finished second in the 2011 Boston Marathon but considered dropping out of this year’s event. “Early on in the race I was feeling horrible,” Linden said during a post-race news conference. She told fellow marathoner and Marblehead High School graduate, Shalane Flanagan, that she might drop out, saying “if you need something, block the wind—whatever—let me know.” It was a moment of true sportsmanship in the marathon.
Recalling when she first found herself in third place, Linden said “I thought, well, I probably shouldn’t drop out, so I kept going.” She took the lead just before mile 22 and stayed out in front for the rest of the race. “I have no idea how things fell behind me. I kind of wanted to get done and get a coffee and some breakfast,” she said.