The Psychology Behind Runners Obsession With BQs 128He Ran Boston 8 Months After Tumor Surgery, Hellen Obiri of Kenya made a break from her lone remaining challenger, countrywoman Sharon Lokedi, and went on to win her second consecutive Boston title. Obiri’s victory, in 2:22:37, was her third win in a row at a to catch up to the group and briefly take the lead just before the 14-mile mark.
Lokedi finished second, 8 seconds back, in 2:22:45. And at 44 years old, Edna Kiplagat, also of Kenya and a two-time Boston champion, finished third in 2:23:21.
Emma Bates was the top American in 12th place in 2:27:14. She was also the top American in 2023. This year, Bates was recovering from a torn plantar fascia, which she suffered at the Chicago Marathon in October and which kept her from running the Hellen Obiri Defends Her Title and Wins the 2024 Boston Marathon in February.
Although the leaders ran the first four miles of the race, through the downhills out of Hopkinton, at an aggressive pace—they were on target to finish in 2:20—by mile 5 they had backed off significantly.
Through the halfway point in Wellesley and into the Newton hills, the women’s lead pack numbered 20 or more. They were packed so tightly together, it appeared their shoulders were touching, and a misstep by any one of them could have sent several women falling. They passed the halfway point in 1:12:33, 2:25 pace, which allowed Des Linden to catch up to the group and briefly take the lead just before the 14-mile mark.
But the modest pace also set up what felt inevitable: a torrid finish over the final five miles after Heartbreak Hill.
Sure enough, at 20 miles, 15 women were still running together. By 21 miles, the pack was down to 12—Bates was off the back. Then Kiplagat, Obiri, and Lokedi took over. From mile 21 to 22, they ran 5:17. And they were just getting warmed up.
Obiri and Lokedi ran the 23rd mile in 4:57 and the 24th mile in 4:41, separating themselves from everyone. Their 5K split from 35K to 40K was 15:06—fast enough to qualify for the 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials if they had run that on a track.
By contrast, the men’s winner, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia, who had gone out hard and slowed in the second half of the race, ran his 23rd mile in 5:07 and his 24th in 5 minutes even.
Lokedi said after the race that she looked at her watch and momentarily worried about how speedy their splits were, with a couple of miles remaining. “In my head, I just kept saying, ‘It’s fast, but just stick on her, stick on her until there’s nothing left,’” she said.
Just past Kenmore Square and the sign marking one mile to go, Obiri surged, quickly putting several seconds on Lokedi, who is no slouch at the marathon. She won the New York City Marathon in 2022 and finished third in 2023.
“Sharon is a strong lady, so I tried to push,” Obiri told WCVB after the race.
Published: Apr 15, 2024 12:39 PM EDT.
Obiri, who lives and trains in Boulder, Colorado, with the On Athletics Club, takes home $150,000 for the win. Lokedi won $75,000 for finishing second, and Kiplagat earned $40,000, plus $5,000 for winning the masters division.
Obiri won a silver medal in the 5,000 meters at the 2021 Olympics. After finishing sixth in her marathon debut in New York in 2022, she has figured out the event: She has three wins in 12 months.
And, she pointed out in the post-race press conference, repeat champions are rare. “Defending the title was not easy,” she said. “Since Boston started, only six women have done it. Can I be one of them? To be one of them, I had to work extra hard and I’m so happy now that I am one of them. People will look back and say, ‘Hellen was one of them.’”
Her victory adds to her case to be selected for Kenya’s 2024 Olympic team. She and Lokedi were named by Kenyan officials as two of the six finalists for three spots.
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World With one mile remaining in the, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
