RUN Wenatchee

Meb Keflezighi became the first American man in 31 years to capture the Boston Marathon.

By Steve Maher
RunWenatchee.com

BOSTON — Moses Lake’s Mitch Molitor and Wenatchee’s Lynda Finegold were the top finishers from North Central Washington in today’s Boston Marathon.

The 118th-annual marathon was witnessed by an estimated 1 million spectators a year after bombings tore apart the event’s peace.

Lynda Finegold

Molitor finished the 26.2-mile course in 3 hours, 13 minutes and 48 seconds, while Finegold was clocked in 3:15:59.

“Beautiful day in Boston! This race is amazing!” Finegold posted on Facebook shortly after she finished.

Prior to leaving for Boston, Finegold said she was drawn to the legendary event for the second time — she also ran it in 2012 — because of what transpired a year ago.

“I want to support my fellow runners,” Finegold said.

The men’s marathon was won in a time of 2:08:37 by Meb Keflezighi, who became the first American man in 31 years to claim the title. It was the fastest marathon in Keflezighi’s life. At 39, he also is the oldest Boston Marathon men’s champion since 1930.

“It was not about me. It was about Boston Strong,” Keflezighi, who beat Kenya’s Wilson Chebet by a mere 11 seconds, told reporters afterwards.

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya captured the women’s title in 2:18:57. Shalane Flanagan’s seventh-place finish was the highest for a U.S. woman. Flanagan led the woman’s race at the 20-mile mark.

The top finisher from Washington state was Seattle’s Ulrich Steidl, who was 22nd overall with a time of 2:19:48.

About 36,000 participants registered for this year’s event, the second-largest field in Boston Marathon history.

Here is the list of NCW finishers:

Mitch Molitor, 45, Moses Lake, 3:13:48
Lynda Finegold, 43, Wenatchee, 3:15:59
Caleb Ambrose, 29, Wenatchee, 3:34:17
Marcy Wheeler, 47, Ephrata, 3:37:54
Jodi O’Shea, 42, Moses Lake, 3:41:42
Jerry Kyle, 61, Orondo, 4:07:55