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Distance runner Ray Christensen

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      • Hopkinton to Boylston St.
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      • 113th Boston Marathon
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      • 2014: Northern California
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2009: 113th Boston Marathon: Hopkinton to Boylston St.

Race bib, medal, course map
Race bib, medal, course map

Conditions were great! Cool, cloudy, and just a little of the typical headwind. Marathon Man raced to his best Boston time and was happy with the effort.

All 7 Rebel Runners beat the 3-time defending champ Kenyan who DNF’ed with an injury!.

Click for page 3: Boston Globe photos

– – – Ray’s Boston Marathon chip time: 3 hr. 21 mins. 20 sec. – – – – Place: 4,961 of 21,600 finishers overall – – – Place: 4,425 of 13,300 male – – – – Top 23% overall – – – – Top 33% of males – – – – Pace: 7:41/mile

Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline…

Monday, April 20
This was a “comeback” race after two tough 26.2 mile runs. At Breakers Marathon (October), I had gone out too fast for several miles and was spanked by difficult hills in the later miles. Disney (January) was my slowest marathon ever, due to several factors… I had a sore achilles, a slight headcold, walked around Disneyworld for two days prior, and above all, raced a half-marathon the day before as part of the “Goofy Challenge”. So even though Boston is a more challenging course, I was virtually guaranteed a better time.

My strategy of going out at under a 3:20 pace for the first half worked well, although the legs got pretty tight towards the end.

The spectators were even louder than I had remembered.

High-fiving kids whereever possible was enjoyable (even a bit in the final miles).

Wellesley girls came through as usual. I didn’t get too close or too far to the left.

I hit water stops on both sides of the course, mostly grabbing Gatorade. It constantly tried to splash into my left eye.

I looked for Johnny Kelley statue all the way up Heartbreak Hill, but still could not locate it. At least it occupied my mind for
a while!

Descending into Boston, I realized that I had a chance at beating my previous Boston best.

During the entire 2nd half of the race, I was steadily being passed by other runners. Of course it was easiest to notice when a young lady would go by. Frustrating to have no answer for it!

I knew when I was around Lee Kaufman, when I’d start hearing chants of “Go Delaware!” because of his DE Running Co. shirt.

The looming Citgo sign never looked so good! One mile to go.

Finisher medal
Finisher medal

DSC Bus Trip shirt
DSC Bus Trip shirt

DSC Bus Trip shirt

Marathon Program
Marathon Program featuring Ryan Hall & Kara Goucher

Boston Marathon

Boston Globe recap
Boston Globe recap

Rebel Runners of Delaware
Rebel Runners depart family reunion area

The finish area was brutally cold due to the wind. Got wrapped in a foil blanket, had chip removed, received medal, ate bagel and staggered through the family reunion area to the Gregg bus where a cold Budweiser was waiting for me.

Marathon Man races Boston   Marathon Man races Boston   Marathon Man races Boston   Marathon Man races Boston

Official race photos from MarathonFoto.com

Marathon Man races Boston   Marathon Man races Boston
Keeping pace with Lee (Go Delaware!) – – – – – Not exactly feeling great!

Downtown Boston

Josh and I eventually met Lori, Andrea and Claire at the frigid family reunion area “C” (for cold?) and we hobbled toward the crowded subway enroute to a beer at a warm downtown bar. Then on to their hotel to shower. Downtown a couple “T” stops again to eat at Scollay Square” near Boston Common, while watching the Bruins and Celtics playoff games on TV.

Josh and I took the “T” again to the railroad station where we just missed a train at 1020 and had to sit in the quiet station until 1125. We boarded the crazy train (with happy fans headed home from Celtics and Red Sox games) and got off at a desserted West Natick station in the rain just after midnight. John’s Car Service deposited us back at the hotel.

Ray’s Splits

Split
5k
10k
15k
20k
Half
25k
30k
35k
40k
End
Clock Time
22:23
44:43
1:07:30
1:30:42
1:35:46
1:54:20
2:18:47
2:44:17
3:10:03
3:21:20
Split Time
22:23
22:20
22:47
23:12
– – –
23:38
24:27
25:30
25:46
– – –

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Click for page 3: Boston Globe photos
Official Boston Marathon website

Boston Marathon finisher medal

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Home
About Ray
2002 Dublin
2003 Humpy’s
2003 New York City
2004 Paris
2004 Chicago
2005 Boston Marathon
2005 Twin Cities
2006 Boston Marathon
2006 Steamtown
2007 Big Sur
2007 Marine Corps

2011 Philadelphia
2012 Bob Potts
2012 Hartford
2013 Vermont City
2014 Ave of Giants
2014 Monster Mash
2015 River Towns
2015 Richmond
2018 Baltimore
Contact Ray

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Wilmington / Philly Area

The Lord is kind and merciful,
Slow to anger and great in compassion.

302-633-1482

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© 2002 – 2025 Run Marathon Man – running journal of distance runner Ray Christensen of Wilmington, Delaware. Fitness, training, trails & road races.

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