Senior Rob Henderson, a member of the Harvard varsity track team and an official entrant in the Beantown extravaganza, scored the fastest time of any Harvardian, clocking in at 2:36.20.

"I definitely felt worse this race than [after] any I'd ever done before," Henderson said, adding. "The biggest thrill came when I turned and waved to the crowd outside of the Harvard Club on Commonwealth Ave I got a huge cheer."

***

Well, sophomore Jill Vialet had a huge complaint.

"I want to say that I think it's really unfair that men get to go off to the side when they wish to go to the bathroom, but for women it's a real problem," said a soggy but jubilant Vialet as she crossed the finish line with fellow Adams House resident Laura Crosby.

Aside from her specific complaint, how ever. Vialet was all smiles.

"I feel great," she said.

***

So where does the mere mortal fit into all of this? Well, if you like to be part of a team, and you know a good time when you see it, why not enter the Boston Marathon as a group?

Four former and present Harvard crew members--Joe Pettirossi, Karl Roullard. Tom Gentile, Fernando Gueler and assistant freshman crew Coach Blocker Meitzen--ran the race in a five-part relay, with each man logging five-and-a-quarter miles.

***

Rodney Pearson, a Winthrop House tutor who had Harvard's second-best time last year when he breezed in at 2:33.02, dropped out at the 16-mile marker, after an injured hip gave him some pain.

"I'm not that concerned with finishing," he said, "Even the best consistent marathoners like Bill Rogers drop out when they don't think they're running fast enough," he added.

Fellow Griffin Club member Margaret Waters, who had the fastest woman's time of 3:03.32 last year, did not run at all.

"She had a sanity attack and stayed out," said Pearson.