The countdown to Patriots Day 2018 is on and 45 Treasure Valley runners are getting their chance to live out their dreams at the most prestigious marathon in the country!

Held on the third Monday of April since 1897, the Boston Marathon is also the oldest annual marathon in the world.  To qualify, runners must reach a qualifying standard through running a marathon between mid-September and when registration opens for the race.  The standards are tough (I'm hoping to run a four hour marathon at Lake Lowell on Saturday, but to qualify in my age from for Boston, I'd have to run 3 hrs 35 min 00 sec) and by achieving one, you're still not guaranteed a spot on the starting line at Boston.  If more runners submit themselves for consideration than there are spots available, the entries are given to the fastest athletes in each age or gender group.

TCS New York City Marathon
Elsa, Getty Images
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The field normally attracts more than 30,000 runners from all over the world, so for these 45 Idahoans to be there is a huge deal. I'm particularly interested in watching the women's race this year since Shalane Flanagan, a member of the Portland based Bowerman Track Club, is hoping to become the first American woman to win the race in 33 years. She accomplished a similar feat by becoming the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon since 1977, last fall.  In that race she also bested 2017's Boston Marathon champion, Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, by almost 3 minutes.

Kiplagat is back to defend her Boston title in 2018 and Flanagan will also face challenge from fellow American, Jordan Hasay, who's coming in with a slightly faster qualifying time.  Hasay actually has a kind of cool Treasure Valley connection.  She finished 4th in the 3000M run when the NCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships were held at the Jackson's Track Center in Nampa in 2012.

The following 45 Idahoans will tow the same start line with Hasay, Flanagan and Kiplagat on Monday, April 16. Their bib numbers are included in case you know anybody and would like to track their progress through the official Boston Marathon App!

Boise

  • Kaylee Barton, 22140
  • Tauhnee Carothers, 20740
  • Fangyuan Chen, 9639
  • Gretchen Cheney, 15331
  • Rachelle Christensen, 9848
  • Shannon Cuneo, 18686
  • Duane Evans, 20634
  • David Faught, 3133
  • Ryan Griffeth, 2254
  • Aaron Gross, 5805
  • Danny Herdegen, 6674
  • Melvin Jackson, 10128
  • Akheil Jain, 2531
  • Matthew Long, 7365
  • Joel Martindale, 1300
  • David Mckinney, 22144
  • Raymond Mullenax, 10655
  • Gary Pattan, 22278
  • Jason Ridgeway, 2410
  • Mark Russell, 9469
  • Bob Smith, 17541
  • Susan Squires, 24215
  • Lynn Strong, 25017
  • Jayson Transtrum, 10923
  • Jennifer Treinen, 13085

Caldwell

  • Katherine Ball, 10943
  • Astrid Gilbert, 18764
  • AK Whittaker, 14318

Eagle

  • Twila Dover, 22606
  • Michael Rich, 29441
  • Kelli Tomlinson, 20533

Emmett

  • Brett Mumford, 11714

Meridian

  • Kaidree Christensen, 26453
  • Brenda Fick, 23386
  • Natalie Hammond, 13963
  • Patrick Harper, 18782
  • Kim Olsen, 11896
  • Rachael Powell, 7394
  • Kevin Rhinehart, 25180
  • Kimberly Simmons, 19189
  • Shawna Smith, 17556

Nampa

  • Sam Collier, 23531
  • Jeff Mutchie, 7360
  • Julie Tinney, 19735

Meet the Athletes and Send them Off in Style

Local running store, Shu's Idaho Running Company, is hosting a special send off for our Idaho athletes on Tuesday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. Athletes who are running or have run Boston in the past are invited to be recognized, share stories, training tips and enjoy a beer and snacks. Gear from past Boston Marathons encouraged!

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