Women's Race Day Commentary

12:06 p.m. Jeptoo is third in 2:26:34; Prokopcuka fourth in 2:28:12. Magarsa is fifth, 2:29:48.

12:05 p.m. Tune will take home $150,000 for her win.

12:03 p.m. Biktimirova's time is 2:25:27, just two seconds back.

12:02 p.m. Winning time for Dire Tune is 2:25:25, after the most exciting sprint finish the women's race in Boston has ever seen.

12:02 p.m. It's Tune!

12:02 pm. Tune may have it, pulling away.

12:02 a.m. It is a footrace to the finish. Side by side 400 meters to go.

12:01 a.m. Coming down Boylston Tune turns it on around the corner from Hereford. A long kick for Tune. Biktimirova not giving up, now side by side.

Noon Neither woman is giving ground. As one pulls a step ahead, the other matches.

11:58 a.m. In 2006, Jeptoo beat Prokopcuka by 10 seconds.

11:56 a.m. Biktimirova and Tune go through 40K in 2:18:18, down to a projected finish of 2:25:53. The closest finish in history is 10 seconds; this is likely to be closer.

11:55 a.m. Prokopcuka is in fourth, 1:10 behind, and Grigoryeva is in eighth.

11:51 a.m. Kim Duclos of Worcester, Mass., is still the first American at 30K.

11:50 a.m. Running a 5:12 mile between 22 and 23, the women are still side by side heading to 24.

11:47 a.m. Tune looks very comfortable running behind, but Biktimirova is holding form, too. Now they are side by side.

11:44 a.m. Jeptoo is 40 seconds back, in third.

11:42 a.m. Tune takes the lead just past Cleveland Circle, and now runs a step ahead. They ran a 5:07 mile between 21 and 22 heading into Brookline. Now it's Biktimirova ahead again.

11:40 a.m. It's still Biktimirova and Tune, side by side making the turn at Cleveland Circle. The projected finish time at 35K is down to 2:27:02.

11:36 a.m. At just 22, Tune already has three marathon victories, including wins at the last two years at the Chevron Houston Marathon. "I want to win Boston," she said coming in here, a sentiment that obviously has not changed.

11:33 a.m. Between mile 19 and 20, Biktimirova turned in a 5:23 mile going up Heartbreak Hill. Tune is now tucked right behind her, though, and may be biding her time.

11:32 a.m. Tsuchida has repeated as wheelchair winner in 1:48:32, almost five minutes faster than last year.

11:28 a.m.With eight top-three finishes in her young career, Biktimirova is the real deal, but Tune is hanging on well.

11:25 a.m. Biktimirova looks to be in control at the moment, after a 5:12 mile, although grimacing a bit. Tune is a step behind her.

11:20 a.m. With Magarsa dropping off the back, the pack is now down to three. The pace is definitely picking up, with 5:34 and 5:29 miles following the 5:09 they ran downhill. The time for 30K was 1:45:24.

11:20 a.m. Biktimirova, 25, has a personal best of 2:25:12, and won the Honolulu Marathon last year. She has run here before, finishing sixth in 2006, so she knows something about what's ahead of her as the pack heads up the first of the Newton hills.

11:18 a.m. Prokopcuka continues to drop back, and Grigoryeva is nowhere to be seen. The pack of four is Biktimirova,Tune, Jeptoo and Magarsa.

11:14 a.m. Going past the Woodland Country Club in Newton, Prokopcuka has suddenly fallen off the back of a lead pack that is down to four. Biktimirova is now pushing the pace.

11:10 a.m. Finally the pack is breaking up. Led by Prokopcuka in a 5:10 mile surge, Tune, Jeptoo, Alevtina Biktimirova and Magarsa have gone with her.

11:06 a.m. Wow, just past 20K the men are on a 2:06 pace; the women went through 20K at 2:29:20. There are certainly different agendas out there today, for whatever reason.

11 a.m. At halfway, the 10 women are spread halfway across the road, hitting 13.1 miles in 1:14:45. At this rate, there could be a lot of women left in contention in the closing miles. There are actually more in the women's lead pack right now than in the men's!

10:53 a.m. At 25K for the women's wheelchair race, Tsuchida is in the lead.

10:50 a.m. Prokopcuka picked up the pace that last mile, running a 5:38, although the temperature has risen to 60 degrees and the sun is stronger. This day may turn out to be a warm one yet. It will be interesting to see if Prokopcuka keeps pushing the pace. She usually has little patience for a slow one. The time for 20K is 1:10:47, a 2:29:22 finish pace.

10:44 a.m. At Mile 11, after that water stop, Prokopcuka takes the point again. The last mile, 5:57, was identical to the 10th.

10:41 a.m. It may be warming up a little, as Chemjor pours a cup of water over her head.

10:36 a.m. Prokopcuka remains at the back of the lead pack, apparently determined not to repeat her tactic of last year despite having the fastest personal best in the field, 2:22:56.

10:35 a.m. A 5:57 mile brings the women to 10 miles in 56:40. Magarsa is back in front.

10:32 a.m. As the women hit 15K in 52:33, the lead pack is still 10, nominally led by Olaru. Maybe it's the frequent change in leaders that's causing the uneven pace, with a 5:39 following the 5:51. Given the great conditions, it's a bit surprising the pace isn't faster: projected finish time keeps going up, now at 2:27:46.

10:25 a.m. With the USA Olympic Trials held here yesterday, there are no top Americans in this race but there are still plenty of fast women out there. At 10K, the top American woman is Kim Duclos of nearby Worcester, Mass., who went through in 38:27. A 5:51 mile has taken the lead women through 8 miles in 45:03.

10:20 a.m. The pace has continued to slow a bit, now with Grigoryeva and Romania's Nuta Olaru in the lead. Olaru was a late entry in this race, and the Boston veteran is primarily looking for a sub 2:27 finish. She hopes that will get her named to the Romanian Olympic team.

10:15 a.m. Going through mile 5 in 5:54 and mile 6 in 5:30, Magarsa has a one-stride lead over Chemjor as they run just a few steps ahead of the rest of the pack, hitting 10K in 34:50 (a 2:26:58 projected finish). The 23-year-old Magarsa has a personal best of 2:23:23, and won two marathons - Paris and Dubai - last year.

10:10 a.m. This time around, Prokopcuka is getting plenty of help: now, Ethiopia's Askale Tafa Magarsa is heading the pack. At Friday's press conference, Magarsa was asked about Fatuma Roba, her countrywoman and the 1996 Olympic champion who won here three times between 1997 and 1999. "We must do as Roba did," she said of the contingent of three Ethiopian women here.

10:05 a.m. The women went through the first four miles in 5:23, 5:36, 5:34 and 5:42, a finishing pace of 2:24. Bruna Genovese of Italy, running here for the fifth time, is taking her turn at point. Her best finish here was third in 2005.

10 a.m. After the first water stop, Prokopcuka has tucked herself into the pack a bit, with Magdaline Chemjor of Kenya taking lead duties.

9:55 a.m. The sun is struggling to come out, with the lead pack of 10 women casting light shadows on the roads of Ashland. Prokopcuka has already peeled off her white gloves, and tucked them into the back of her racing shorts just before going through two miles in 10:57. Once again, everyone seems happy enough to key off the experienced Latvian, who finished second last fall in the inaugural World Marathon Majors championship. The lead pack just went through 5K in 17:09.

9:45 a.m. Prokopcuka immediately moves to the front of the pack, which went through the first mile in 5:23. Last year, Prokopcuka ran out front most of the way, fighting the wind, and complained afterward about getting no help despite the slow pace. This year, at least at this point, wind is no factor.

9:35 a.m. They're off. Joan Samuelson has fired the starter's pistol, sending the elite women on their way, again starting 25 minutes before the elite men and the main field. From the look of a flag at the starting line, there is not a breath of wind; it is cool enough that Jelena Prokopcuka is wearing gloves.

9:25 a.m. The women's wheelchair race has begun. Back this year are defending champion Wakako Tsuchida of Japan and two-time Boston winner Cheri Blauwet, returning after taking a break for her medical studies at Stanford.

9:15 a.m. Greeted by overcast skies and a temperature reading of 50 degrees, the field of 11 women in the 112th Boston Marathon must be less anxious at the starting line than they were in last year's cold, rain and wind. But there is still a race to run - and hopefully win - so you can be sure they are all still battling nerves of a different kind.

Lidya Grigoryeva is back to defend, after surprising the top-three ranked women in the world last year to win in 2:29:18, a time reflective of the challenging conditions. The Russian ran behind Jelena Prokupcuka for most of the race before pulling ahead in the final two miles, relegating the Latvian to the runner-up spot for the second consecutive year. She's back, too: Will this finally be her year to stand atop the podium? She's won the ING New York City Marathon twice, so she is no stranger to victory.

Among those trying to deny them both will be Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, who won here in 2006, and Dire Tune, an up-and-coming Ethiopian. Just 22, Dire Tune (pronounced Deer-ay Too-nay) broke Ingrid Kristiansen's 23-year-old course record last year in winning the Chevron Houston Marathon (2:26:52, and repeated her win in another course record, 2:24:40, earlier this year.

They and their rivals will all be chasing the $150,000 first-place prize, the biggest ever guaranteed in a marathon.

Stay here throughout the race for mile-by-mile updates.

The 112th Boston Marathon start times are as follows:

9:25 a.m. Wheelchair Division Start
9:35 a.m. Elite Women's Start
10:00 a.m. Elite Men & Wave 1 Start
10:30 a.m. Wave 2 Start

Barbara Huebner will provide continuous live coverage of the Women's Race beginning at 9:00 a.m.

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Men's Race Day Commentary

Robert Cheruiyot - Boston is very different from the other marathons. As usual, the course was very difficult, and I tried to push harder this year to achieve my personal goal of running 2:07. I wanted to make the race faster and better this year. My training was going well, despite the problems in Kenya. We shifted to Namibia for training and went back to Kenya after the problems were contained. When something happens like this, I could not think about what was happening in Kenya. I was lucky to continue my training in a peaceful country. I am hoping I will be selected [for the Kenyan Olympic team]. I will produce a good race, if selected.

12:27pm - Stand by for quotes from the men's press conference.

12:20am - Top 10

Robert Cheruiyot, 2:07:46 (Half 1:03:07)

Abderrahime Bouramdane, 2:09:04 (1:03:07)

Khalid El Boumlili, 2:10:35 (1:03:10)

Gashaw Asfaw, 2:10:47 (1:03:10)

Kasime Adillo, 2:12:24 (1:03:07)

Timothy Cherigat, 2:14:13 (1:03:28)

Christopher Cheboiboch, 2:14:47 (1:03:21)

James Kwambai, 2:15:52 (1:03:07)

James Koskei, 2:16:07 (1:03:37)

Nicholas Arciniaga (First American), 2:16:13 (1:07:00)

12:11pm - Cheruiyot's official winning time is 2:07:46, the sixth fastest time in Boston history.

12:10pm - Third is Khalid El Boumlili in 2:10:35. Fourth is Gashaw Asfaw, 2:10:47. All times are unofficial.

12:09pm - Bouramdane takes second, unofficially in 2:09:03.

12:08pm - Robert Cheruiyot wins the 112th Boston Marathon in an unofficial time of 2:07:45.

12:06pm - Cheruiyot is poised to join Clarence DeMar, Gerard Cote, Bill Rodgers and Catherine Ndereba as the only four time winners of this race.

12:05pm - On the line for Cheruiyot is a $150,000 first place prize.

12:03pm - Cheruiyot's 25 mile split is 2:01:29 (5:11). With one mile to go, his time is 2:02:35.

12:00pm - 40K for Cheruiyot is passed in 2:00:43, a projected finish of 2:07:20, outside course record pace (2:07:14). He covered his previous 5K in 15:42. Bouramdane is on 2:01:35.

11:58am - At 24 miles, the time is 1:56:18, a split of 5:02. At this stage last year, Cheruiyot ran 4:37.

11:55am - Cheruiyot's form is becoming distinctly ragged, though he still has a comfortable margin.

11:53am - 23 mile split is 1:51:16 (5:00). Cheruyiot is evidently feeling the effects of the torrid early pace. His advantage is still around 30 seconds.

11:49am - The 22 mile split for the leader is 1:46:16 (4:50).

11:46am - The 35K split for Cheruiyot is 1:45:01, a projected finish of 2:06:36. Correction - Bouramdane is in second, 30 seconds back, Adillo is third. Kwambai is back in fourth

11:43am - 21 mile split is 1:41:26 (5:16). Cheruiyot is through the hills and still opening ground on Kwambai, who is close to 30 seconds in arrears.

11:37am - Cheruiyot is totally alone at this point, though at 20 miles, on Heartbreak Hill, he has slowed considerably. His time was 1:36:10, a split of 5:00. Kwambai is about 20 seconds back.

11:35am - Cheruiyot has passed 19 in 1:31:10, a split of 4:37, the fastest of the race so far. Kwambai, in third, is closing fast on Bouramdane in second.

11:32am - At 30K, Cheruiyot's time projects a finish of 2:05:55.

11:30am - Cheruiyot has passed 30K in 1:29:11. He ran the previous 5K in 14:47.

11:25am - Into the Hills, Cheruiyot has made a big move and opened the race right up. Passing 18 miles in 1:26:33 (4:52), he is opening daylight with every stride. Bouramdane is in second, Kwambai third and Adillo fourth. But Cheruiyot is away and full of running.

11:23am - 17 mile split is 1:21:41 (4:51). Cheruiyot is pushing it along. The gang of four just made the right turn at the Newton Firehouse.

11:20am - The men's pack is now down to four: Cheruiyot, Adillo, Kwambai and Bouramdane.

16 mile split is 1:16:49 (4:38). Former elite marathoner, Mark Coogan, comments, "They are humping it."

11:18am - The pack is still well ahead of course record pace. The projected finish is 2:06:08.

11:15am - The 15 mile split is 1:12:11 (4:52). The Newton Hills are on a near horizon, the point at which some siginificant moves will almost certainly be made.

11:10am - Cheruiyot and Bouramdane are still assuming control at the front of the pack of six. Kwambai is sitting in behind.

11:08am - The 14 mile split is 1:07:19.

11:05am - The six leaders are Cheruiyot, Bouramdane, Saina, Kwambai, Adillo, Girma and James Mwangi Macharia (KEN).

11:03am - Cheruiyot is being surprisingly aggressive. Bouramdane is holding tight alongside him, and the lead group is now down to six.

11am - The intense pace is starting to take a toll. 12 miles is passed in 57:53 (4:41). The pack is down to nine including Cheruiyot, Saina, Bouramdane, Adillo, Asfaw, Cheboiboch and El Boumlili. Cheruiyot is taking control. Bouramdane is the most aggressive in shadowing him.

10:56am - Ernst Van Dyk has crossed the finish line in 1:26:48 to take his seventh title in the wheelchair race.

10:55am - 11 miles is 53:12 (4:51). No significant moves at this point. Cheruiyot is at the front. Kwambai is cagey. The scene may be being set for a repeat of the duel that unfolded between these two 12 months ago. The field is still hammering along at course record pace.

10:50am - 10 miles are completed in 48:21 (4:51) with 15 or so men still in contention. Saina is still pushing it along, though Cheruiyot is immediately alongside.

10:46am - 15K split is 45:03 with the pack holding formation. And, for the first time, Kwambai has made an appearance. With him at the front are Saina, Cheruiyot, Girma, Cherigat, Adillo, Kiplagat, Koskei, Cheboiboch and Bouramdane. The group is now on a projected finish of 2:06:43, a big course record.

10:45am - Nine miles is passed in 43:30 (4:45).

10:43am - The lead pack is still holding tight, although there have been no reports, thus far, of James Kwambai, the man who placed second here last year.

10:41am - The eight mile time is 38:45 (4:46). Course record pace at this point would be 38:37.

10:36am - Temperature on the course is 59 degrees.

10:35am - At seven miles, the time is 33:59 (4:42)with 18 or so men in the pack.

10:31am - Six mile split is 29:19 (4:39). 10K is 30:19, 14:40 for the second 5K. In the pack are: Saina, Cheruiyot, Cherigat, Bouramdane, Gashaw Asfaw (ETH), Tesfaye Girma (ETH), Kasime Adillo (ETH), James Koskei (KEN), Shadrack Kiplagat and Yirdaw. First AMerican is Nicholas Arciniaga in 31:39.

10:28am - Five miles is passed in 24:39, 2:08:55 pace. The pack is remaining together. No major moves at this point.

10:25am - Number 22 in the lead pack is Lawrence Saina from Kenya. Cheruyiot is shadowing him closely.

10:22am - 4 miles is passed in 19:54, a split of 4:41.

10:20am - There are still in the region of 20 runners in the lead pack, despite the increase in pace. Cheruiyot is visible at the forefront, content to share the burden of leading.

10:17am - At three miles, the split is (4:53), a considerable increase. At 5K, the split is 15:36. In the pack are Edward Kimosop (KEN), Lawrence Saina (KEN), Cheruiyot, Dejene Yirdaw (ETH), Shadrack Kiplagat, Cherigat, Bouramdane, Cheboibock and William Kiplagat.

10:15am - At the forefront of the group are Cheruiyot, Cherigat, Yirefu Birhanu (ETH), and Khalid El Boumlili (MAR).

10:12am - The two mile split is 10:18 (5:02), an increase in pace but still slow, and the reason why the lead pack is in the region of 20 or more runners.

10:05am - The first mile is passed in 5:16, a pedestrian pace.

10:04am - Approaching one mile, a large knot of men is at the forefront with no distinct leader.

10:02am - The men's elite field is underway. The inevitable knot of runners has migrated to the forefront, including two individuals in long pants, their moment in the sun.

9:55am - The elite men are gathered on the Hopkinton starting line. Conditions are near perfect for some fast running.

9:32am - A few facts: There are two past champions in the field, Robert Cheruiyot (2003, 2006, 2007) and Timothy Cherigat (2004).

When Cheruiyot set the course record of 2:07:14 in 2006, he broke the previous mark, set by Casmas Ndeti in 1994, by a single second.

Thus far, Cheruyiot has won $319,000 in Boston Marathon prize money.

9:10am - With less than an hour to go until the start of the elite men's race at the 112th Boston Marathon, it appears that all the pressure is on defending champion, Robert Cheruiyot. The 29 year-old Kenyan claimed his third Boston win last year, albeit in the slowest time (2:14:13) since Jerome Drayton took the laurel wreath back in 1977. Nonetheless, Cheruyiot is the course record holder (2:07:14 from 2006), the 2006 Chicago champion, and the inaugural World Marathon Majors champion. Indicative of his current form is that, last month, he clocked a swift 60:50 at the Lisbon Half Marathon, his traditional pre-Boston tune-up.

The man appearing most likely to contend for the $100,000 winner's purse is the same man who did so last year, James Kwambai. He finished just 20 seconds down on the winner in 2007, but it took a 4:37 24th mile from Cheruiyot to turn back his challenge. Kwambai has shown some good 2008 form with a 60:22 half marathon in February, equalling his PR.

Beyond these two, the race is wide open. 2004 winner, Timothy Cherigat, is back, though with no racing form to indicate his fitness. Stephen Kiogora, third here last year and second in New York in 2006, is also in the field, as are Christopher Cheboiboch (third in NY in 03), and Shadrack (PB of 2:07:53 from Amsterdam last year) and William (PB of 2:06:50 from Amsterdam, 1999) Kiplagat, the latter being the former's uncle.

The strongest contender to spoil a Kenyan party appears to be Morocco's Abderrahime Bouramdane. He has a 2:08:20 PB from Seoul last year, a two minute PR.

Cheruiyot must be the strongest candidate on whom to bet the house, were you so inclined. If he is successful, he will join a very exclusive Boston club - those who have won this event four times. At present, only Clarence DeMar, Gerard Cote, Bill Rodgers and Catherine Ndereba can claim that distinction.

Weather appears to be good, in contrast to the blustery winds that hammered runners 12 months ago. Temperatures are anticipated to remain in the 50s throughout the race, and winds are slight. Stay tuned for more details.

The 112th Boston Marathon start times are as follows:

9:25 a.m. Wheelchair Division Start
9:35 a.m. Elite Women's Start
10:00 a.m. Elite Men & Wave 1 Start
10:30 a.m. Wave 2 Start

Jim O'Brien will provide continuous live coverage of the Men's Race beginning at 9:00 a.m.

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