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Boston Marathon: Runners brace for harsh weather

Jimmy Golen / Associated Press
Monday, April 16, 2007

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BOSTON — No wind, no rain, no Heartbreak Hill. In fact, astronaut Suni Williams won't have to worry about gravity in today's Boston Marathon.

While 20,000 more terrestrial trekkers will slog from Hopkinton to Boston fighting some of the foulest weather in the race's 111-year history, Williams will run 26.2 miles tethered to a treadmill in zero gravity - and zero weather - on the international space station.

"Nobody's ever run a marathon in space before," said Jeff Williams, who during his six months at the space station grew familiar with the bulky and sometimes painful harness his unrelated colleague will wear. "This is a first. Maybe a last, for a while. It's not going to be a walk in the park at all."

Not for Suni Williams, and not for fellow astronaut Karen Nyberg or the others running on Earth despite temperatures in the mid-30s, 3-5 inches of rain and 25 mph gusts in the runners' faces. The conditions are expected to slow the pace of the leaders and test the ability of organizers to handle the crowds as the body temperatures drop and the dropout rates increase.

"The interest is to get them out of the elements as quickly as possible," race director Dave McGillivray said between meetings with state and local officials on how to handle the storm. "With hypothermia, you can't take something to make it go away. You have to get into a warmer environment."

A total of 2,449 runners opted not to pick up their bib numbers before registration closed on Sunday - about 10 percent of the total and within the usual range of no-shows. For those who quit after starting, McGillivray said, there will be buses stationed along the course for shelter and a ride back.

More shelters are being arranged in schools and other buildings along the route. Pumps have been stationed at low-lying areas in case of flooding. Ponchos will be provided for workers assigned outdoors. Runners were warned in an e-mail blast to wear appropriate clothing.

"We've played out every scenario possible," McGillivray said.

Defending champions Robert Cheruiyot and Rita Jeptoo are back, seeking another Kenyan sweep. But the foul weather is certain to slow the pace for the top runners a year after Cheruiyot broke the course record in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 14 seconds for Kenya's 14th men's title in 16 years.

"I don't think they'll like it, but they're still great competitors," four-time winner Bill Rodgers said. "What happens is you get upsets. The top runners are so used to being up front and fighting for the win, and that can be disastrous."

Cheruiyot won Boston in 2003 and again last year.

Cheruiyot's dual victories last year put him in first place in the race for the first World Marathon Majors $500,000 bonus; a win today would all but clinch it. On the women's side, New York champion Jelena Prokopcuka leads with 40 points (25 points are awarded for a win, 15 for second), and defending Boston champion Rita Jeptoo is tied for second with Berhane Adere at 30 points apiece.

Deena Kastor, the top American hope and the defending London champion, is tied for fourth. The bonuses will be paid to the top men and women after the world championships in Osaka, Japan, and fall marathons in Berlin, Chicago and New York.

Another side race going on in Boston is the U.S. women's marathon championships. The top American in the women's field will earn the national title, a $25,000 bonus and a spot in the world championship field.