BOSTON (AP) 鈥� The weather looks good, Sharon Lokedi is fit and the fastest field in Boston Marathon history could push her to a second straight course record 鈥� if she decides to go for it.
A year after shattering the women鈥檚 mark by more than 2 1/2 minutes, the defending champion will head to the starting line in Hopkinton on Monday for the 130th edition of the world鈥檚 oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. Reigning men鈥檚 champion and fellow Kenyan John Korir also is back to lead a field of more than 30,000 on the 26.2-mile (42.195-kilometer) race to Boston鈥檚 Copley Square.
Cool weather and an expected tailwind will greet them in Hopkinton 鈥� perhaps the ideal conditions for more fast times like last year, when Lokedi finished in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds to break the 11-year-old course record and deprive runner-up Hellen Obiri of a third straight win. Korir’s 2:04:45 was the third-fastest ever as he joined his brother to become a Boston Marathon champion.
鈥淟ast year was crazy fast, so I don鈥檛 know if it will be the same thing this year. But whichever one, I鈥檓 excited for,鈥� Lokedi said this week as she prepared to defend her title. 鈥淵ou never know. I feel like that is always determined by when you get to the start line.鈥�
Joining her there will be what is being called the strongest field in race history.
The entire men鈥檚 podium and seven of the top 10 finishers from last year are back, including runners with three of the top eight times in race history. Eight women in the field have run a sub-2:20 marathon 鈥� times that would have been a course record in Boston until a year ago.
鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 stacked,鈥� American competitor Alex Maier said.
The Americans are showing their strength as well.
There are 12 U.S. men with personal bests below 2:10. Four 鈥� including 2017 Boston runner-up Galen Rupp and last year’s seventh-place finisher, Clayton Young 鈥� have run 2:08 or faster; those would be Boston bests until Geoffrey Mutai’s then-world best of 2:03:02 in 2011.
Two of the three American women who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and last year鈥檚 world championships are in the field. (Fiona O’Keeffe dropped out on Sunday with a hamstring issue). In all, seven U.S. women have beaten 2:25 and three have personal bests below 2:22 鈥� Emily Sisson, Sara Hall and Susanna Sullivan.
鈥淚 am just so honored to be a part of this growth in women鈥檚 U.S. distance running, especially in the marathon,鈥� said Jess McClain, who was the top American woman last year, running the fourth-fastest time ever for a U.S. woman in Boston. 鈥淚t just makes us all so much better. So yeah, it鈥檚 a very special moment.鈥�
Security on alert
Ted Docks, FBI special agent in charge in Boston, said authorities are operating at a 鈥渉eightened threat environment鈥� because of the war in the Middle East. Docks stressed that there are no specific or credible threats against the race but asked spectators to remain on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Thirteen years after the that and , marathon runners and fans have grown accustomed to an increased security presence at the race.
Authorities gave the usual warnings for spectators to stay alert and encouraged them to leave large items like backpacks and strollers at home to avoid the need for a search.
Several of the law enforcement officials at the prerace security briefing said they already are planning for the other high-profile events scheduled for the Boston area this year, including soccer鈥檚 World Cup, the Sail Boston tall ships display and the United States鈥� 250th anniversary celebration.
Wheelchair contenders
Eight-time wheelchair champion Marcel Hug of Switzerland is going for another victory, which would put him one short of Ernst Van Dyk’s all-category record of 10. (Clarence DeMar won the open division seven times from 1911-30.) Hug will be chased by two-time winner Daniel Romanchuk of Champaign, Illinois.
Defending women’s wheelchair champion Susannah Scaroni is expecting a baby in August and not racing. Previous winners Manuela Schar of Switzerland, Tatyana McFadden of the United States and Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Britain are all in the field.
The race comes a week after the , the father of wheelchair racing.
Right on Hereford, left on Boylston
McClain said she is happy with the resolution regarding last month. The Phoenix resident was ahead by a wide margin with about 1.5 miles to go when she and three other runners followed the guide vehicle on a wrong turn.
Track and field’s international governing body 鈥� instead of the usual four 鈥� to compete at the world championships in Denmark.
鈥淩ear view mirror,鈥� she said this week. 鈥淚’ll be in Copenhagen, so we’re stoked.鈥�
McClain finished seventh in her Boston debut last year, so she’s familiar with the final zigzag through the Back Bay.
鈥淚 know my right and left turns,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淭hank God.鈥�
Celebrities in the field
Astronaut Suni Williams, who first ran the race remotely , will make it to Hopkinton this time. Williams qualified for the 2007 race and signed up before finding out that she would be in space on Patriots鈥� Day.
Other celebrities in the field include former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, Dropkick Murphys guitarist Jeff DaRosa, 鈥淟ove Island鈥� winner Bryan Arenales and running comedian Laura Green.
Former athletes include two-time World Cup champion Kristine (Lilly) Heavey and former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who will run for the third time after missing last year鈥檚 race with an injury. Ex-Boston Celtics player Chris Herren is running for his drug addiction recovery charity.
Former champions Amby Burfoot (1968 men鈥檚) and Des Linden (2018 women鈥檚) will also retrace their steps.
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