After running a disappointing first marathon inRhode Island this fall, Natalie M Bowman '99 wasespecially pleased with her performance yesterday,as her time qualifies her for next year's race.
Bowman finished with a time of 3:38.04, 20minutes faster than her first marathon and twominutes under the 3:40 qualifying standard.
Bowman said that running the Boston Marathon,with a field of over 12,000 entrants, was verydifferent from her experience in Rhode Island.
"Boston was a little hillier, and [RhodeIsland] was a lot smaller," Bowman said. "Thereweren't nearly as many people watching [in RhodeIsland]. It was kind of like a big party to run inthis one."
Bowman said she appreciated her successful raceeven more because her parents, from NorthCarolina, were there to cheer her on.
Charlotte W. Houghteling '02 and Sarah E.Reckhow '02, who is a Crimson editor, have not yetqualified officially, but the two were verypleased with their first marathon experienceyesterday.
Houghteling said the pair finished in 4:17three minutes under their goal.
According to Houghteling, the two also had alot of fun, due in no small part to theiraffiliation with Harvard.
"It was so fun because we were wearing Harvardshirts and everyone was cheering and screaming forus," Houghteling said." It was really exhilarating.I'm really proud of myself."
The Champions of the 103rd
Not only did the heat thwart many top seeds,but winning times were slower than they have beenin the past.
Joseph Chebet of Kenya won the men's race in2:09.52, marking the ninth straight year thatKenyans have triumphed in Boston.
Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia won the women's race in2:23.25. The race was the third victory in as manyyears for Roba, who also claimed the gold medal inthe 1996 Olympic marathon.
Both the men's and women's wheelchair championsalso won for the third year in row. FranzNietlispach of Switzerland won in 1:21.36, andLouis Sauvage of Australia edged out the AmericanJean Driscoll at the line to win in 1:42.22.