"It was really hot out there," Delmont said."It got tough in the middle [and] I had to walk ahalf-mile in Newton. In short, I kind of got myass kicked by the course, but I was happy tofinish."

Delmont drew extra motivation from his role asa runner for the Red Cross. Thinking about thosewho sponsored his efforts drove Delmont tocontinue pushing, he said.

"When you're getting tired it helps knowingthat you're running for more people thanyourself," he said. "Friends in the Houses gavefive or 10 bucks and I would have let them down ifI had not finished."

Delmont, who crossed the line in 4:04.53, saidhe thought he best part of the race were the fans.

"Little kids wanted to slap my hands, and atmile 24 a group of my friends painted 'MATT' ontheir chests, which obviously helped get megoing," Delmont said.

But the best part of the course, according toDelmont, occurred earlier, when the runners woundtheir way past Wellesley College.

"For a half-mile or mile, [the course] is justlined with screaming college girls," he said."That's probably the best part of the course interms of fan support. They're crazy. They couldn'tbe more supportive."

Eric S. Rosen '00, whose girlfriend goes toWellesley, also appreciated the fan support inthat particular section of the course. Ultimately,however, the heat and a previous injury overcamethe boost from the fans.

"I was doing well, I wasn't tired, but at mile17 my knees collapsed, and I had to walk the lastfive miles," Rosen said.

Rosen has run half-marathons competitively, butyesterday was his first experience tackling thefull 26.2 miles.

Rosen started off strong, but then a kneeinjury from March caught up with him.

Rosen, who finished with a time of 4:01.56,said the last six miles took him an hour and 15minutes.

"I was refreshed from walking but I couldn'tbend my leg," he said.

Despite Rosen's disappointing performance, hesaid he still had fun and his hopes for the futureremain high.

'I'II get out there next year and try toqualify in the fall," he said.