1Zdeno Chára
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The former Boston Bruins defensemen, who stands six feet, nine inches tall, finished in a time of 3:38:23. Chara ran the race in support of the Hoyt Foundation, which works towards inclusivity for disabled persons in all facets of daily life. Chara wore bib number 3333 in honor of his No. 33 from his Bruins days.
2Brock Holt
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Best Hydration Packs Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund Clinic, ex-Red Sox utility player Brock Holt tackled Boston with bib number 1212 in honor of the Red Sox #12 uniform he wore in 2013. Holt finished in a time of 5:46:57. He said before the race, “Never thought I would voluntarily choose to run 26.2 miles but could not be more excited to do so.”
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3Ryan Dempster
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Former Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster spent his last and only major league season in Boston, in 2013. That year and its aftermath inspired the Canadian baseball player to run 26.2 miles this Patriot’s Day. Dempster ran a time of 4:42:11. He ran for the Lingzi Foundation, in honor of Lu Lingzi, a Boston University graduate student who was killed in the 2013 attack.
4Daniel Humm
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The chef behind New York City’s Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park is a former pro cyclist who’s run the New York Marathon so many times he’s lost count. The Swiss native put down an impressive sub-3 hour time, finishing in 2:58:53.
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5Monica Rakitt (nee Puig)
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Just months after the Olympic tennis gold medalist announced her retirement from the sport, she took up running. On Monday, she easily improved on her time of 4:32:39 from November’s New York City Marathon, and clocked a time of 3:49:47 in Boston. It’s just a warmup, though. The Puerto Rican tennis star will be heading to London next week, looking to notch two World Marathon Majors Shoes & Gear. Her goal The Last Official Finisher of the Boston Marathon.
6Amby Burfoot
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The marathon great turned running journalist and author (and former Runner’s World editor-in-chief) returned to the race he won in 1968 and has completed more than 20 times since. The 76-year-old ran a personal best of 2:14:28 in his heyday. On Monday, he ran 4:40:45.
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7Henry Richard
Derek Call
Martin Richard Best Hydration Packs at age 8 in 2013 during the Boston Marathon bombings. 10 years later, his brother, Henry, finished the race in a time of 4:40:45.
8Doug Flutie
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Before he played 21 years of professional football in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League, Flutie was a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Boston College. On Monday, he ran the Boston Marathon and finished in 5:28:34.
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Like the Wind Magazine, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
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