Tha Baaahstan Marathon Media Room Blog

10:10 a.m. - Just set up shop here in the Copley media room. Definitely the youngan amongst this group, but I'm cool with that. Off to grab some free eats before I start "working".

11:23 a.m. - The wheelchairs are about to go off in a few minutes. We've got a live, commercial-free feed in here, complete with OLN commentary. I swear if I hear Larry Rawson refers to the chase pack as the peloton even once, I'm gonna throw something at the big screen.

12:14 p.m. - Lead men pass through 2 miles in a relatively pedestrian 10:07. 5 Americans in the lead pack right now, including Meb, Culpepper, Sell, Verran and Gilmore. Looking at the screen right now, it appears that business has picked up as the pack has begun to string out some. Still no mention of a peloton. Thank God.

12:18 p.m. - The fatass seated next to me just proclaimed that Dante Culpepper doesn't stand a chance of winning the race. He must be an expert.

12:44 p.m. - At 15K in 44:51 the lead pack looks to be breaking up a bit. These guys are haulin' up front. Meb is right up there but Culpepper has dropped off a bit. No Hansons in sight, and with their obnoxious uninforms, they're pretty easy to spot.

12:50 p.m. - WBZ announcer: What kind of training do these guys do? Do they do anything besides run? Tony Reavis: Well, they run quite a bit, usually twice a day. Maybe 12 miles in the morning and 5 to 10 more in the evenings. They can't waste too much time doing anything else.

12:52 p.m - 48:06 through 10 miles. Damn.

1:02 p.m. - 14:41 for the leaders over the last 5K, 59 and change through 20K. We're down to three, including Meb. The pace over the last 10 has been absolutely suicidal. With the hills coming up, this is gonna get interesting. Tosa is still leading the women's race through 16, but she's been up there for a while. She's my pick, hopefully she can hold on.

1:05 p.m. - 62:44 through the 1/2 marathon. I think I just soiled myself.

1:14 p.m. - Larry Rawson: This race is not over. No shit sherlock.

1:20 p.m. - Off to the interview room for a few words from Ernst Van Dyk. Dude just won his sixth-straight wheelchair crown.

2:00 p.m. - Just got back from the press conference. Not much excitement, but some classic Bob Lobel-isms from Channel 4's broadcast: Cheruiyot's of fire. ...and... Lobel: Meb's nowhere to be seen. Tony Revis: Well Bob, that's the camera's fault. He's only about 10 seconds back.

2:05 p.m. - New course record is about a minute away. Cheruiyot's gonna run 2:07 and some change. Incredible!

2:08 p.m. - Perhaps even more incredible, potentially 4 Americans in the top 10 with 3 on the top 5. U.S.A., U.S.A!

2:25p.m. - 5 Americans in the top 10! 5! My early addition has the U.S. taking the team title hands down.

2:34 p.m. - In the press conference, women's winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya gives all credit to the "greatest coach in the world, Renato Canova." It gets better. The next uninformed shmuck who asked her a question inquired whether or not Jeptoo was happy to beat "such a stellar field with world-record holder Paula Radcliffe and other strong Europeans." Are you kidding me?

2:39 p.m. - Last update for a while, gotta head outside and attempt to hunt down some locals. Wish me luck.

5:14 p.m. - Just filed my story and am about to pack up shop so I can head home and get a run in before dark. Hope ya'll enjoyed this running commentary. If you're scoring at home, yes, that pun was indeed intended.