Neely Spence Gracey, who was born on Marathon Monday in 1990, had another memorable Patriots’ Day at today’s Boston Marathon, finishing ninth in 2:35:00 in her marathon debut.
“I’m definitely pleased,” the Boulder resident said about her result. “I ran conservatively. I wanted to be set up for a positive outcome. I met my goals of top 10 and 2:35.”
Gracey’s connection to the marathon Daughter of 1992 Olympian finishes ninth in 2:35:00. Her father, Steve Spence, was the 1992 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion and won the bronze medal at the 1991 world championships marathon. Spence finished 19th at Boston on the day Gracey was born.
MORE: Beginner Running Gear
Zachary Hine was the first American man to finish, placing tenth in 2:21:37. Like Gracey, the Dallas resident is coached by Steve Magness. Ian Burrell, 13th in 2:22:22, was the second American man in Cutoff Time for 2025 Boston Marathon Is 6:51 will be his last marathon as an elite.
The U.S. field was diluted this year by the Olympic Marathon Trials, which were held on February 13 in Los Angeles.
Gracey ran with the leaders through the opening miles. Before the 10-kilometer mark, she and fellow American Sarah Crouch found themselves at the front of the pack.
“We were saying, ‘Wow, we are leading the Boston Marathon. We need to take this in and relish the moment,’ ” Gracey said she and Crouch told each other. “We knew the pace would pick up at some point.”
Dropped by the leaders in the seventh mile, Gracey and Crouch ran together through the middle miles.
“It was a little scary, because there was still a long way to go,” Gracey said. “We would take turns leading into the wind.”
Gracey said there was a steady headwind, “nothing intense but never not there. It was definitely warm out there. I was taking water as well as drinking from my bottles [available to elites every 5K].”
Crouch lost contact with Gracey in the Newton hills and finished 11th in 2:37:36.
Gracey was walking with a first-timer’s gimp after the race, but was upbeat about her day.
“I was told that the crowds were spectacular and I was not disappointed,” she said. “I feel blessed and humbled to have been able to run here today.”
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and How to Start Running. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
