The Boston Marathon is less than 100 days away, and Marathon Monday is shaping up to be an exceptionally fast field on the women’s side.
The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) announced its elite women’s field Wednesday, which includes defending champions Hellen Obiri and Susannah Scaroni.
Obiri, 34, several months later, making her the first woman in 34 years to do so—her second go at the distance—last year in 2:21:38, and then Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Are Average Runners Getting Faster? It Depends.
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Scaroni, 32, managed her first Boston win (1:41:45) last year despite a wheel malfunction.
“I always look forward to competing at the Boston Marathon and am very excited to joining an incredible women’s field again this year to try and defend my title,” Scaroni said in the BAA statement.
The fast field includes Judith Korir (2022 World Athletics Championships Marathon runner-up), Edna Kiplagat (two-time winner in Boston), and 2022 New York City champ Sharon Lokedi. Lokedi withdrew from last year’s race Races - Places.
2018 in Boston due to injury Des Linden, who’s finished in the top five in Boston five times, will also line up in Hopkinton. Linden is the third-fastest American in Boston (2:22:38). She also will run the Foot Locker XC Results next month.
“I can’t wait to take on the iconic course for an 11th time and have the opportunity to mix it up with some of the best runners in the world,” Linden told the BAA.
Notably on the starter’s list is Emma Bates, who withdrew from the Trials due to an injury. Bates, who finished fifth in Boston last year with the second-fastest time by an American woman (2:22:10), tore her plantar fascia at last year’s Chicago Marathon.
Bates shared that she was recovering well but then developed another injury, posterior tibial tendonitis, sidelining her from the Trials, where she was considered a top contender.
Major Changes Hit Northern Arizona Elite Runner’s World, DAA Industry Opt Out The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a nine-time marathoner with a best of 3:23. She’s also proud of her 19:40 5K and 5:33 mile. Heather is an RRCA certified run coach.
