One word for Boston women--INSPIRING!

I was able to DVR the Boston Marathon coverage from Monday, and I am so glad that I did!

(hat tip to Chuck for a link to a You Tube video of the race finish! Click here to view.)

I have watched the race over the past couple nights and I was totally enthralled by the elite women's race.

For those of you who have not watched this race, I would recommend you find a way to view it...and show it to anyone who wants to take up running!

It was the closest women's race in the history of the Boston Marathon with winner Dire Tune of Ethiopa edging Alevtina Biktimirova of Russia by a mere two seconds. TWO SECONDS after 26.2 miles!

For the first half of the race there was a pack of 10 runners who stayed up front. I paid attention to Biktimirova (bib #8) as she stayed at the back of the pack during this time. She does not have the proto-typical tall, thin build of today's elite runners...she is muscular, compact, and ripped! I fully expected her to fade in the second half of the race when the Africans kicked it in. But not only did she stay with them, she surged to the lead as they hit the hills in the third quarter of the course.

For miles leading to the finish, Biktimirova stayed in the lead with Tune nipping right at her heals. Tune ran a wonderful race, letting Biktimirova take the lead the whole time (this would absolutely tick me off if I was in the lead!), obviously wanting to conserve for a kick at the finish.

As they made the turn to the finish on Boylston street, here is how it unfolded according to the BAA website:

When they turned the corner from Hereford onto Boylston, Dire Tune started her kick. Too early? The 22-year-old Ethiopian brought speed and promise from Addis Ababa, but did she bring a heart big enough to hang on?

Alevtina Biktimirova fell a step behind. Then two. Then: new life. From her depths, the 25-year-old Russian caught Tune, and the two ran side-by-side toward the finish in a sprint unlike any other in the long history of this race. In front of a crowd going wild on this cool, sunny spring day, Tune finally, breathtakingly opened a gap, hitting the tape in 2:25:25 and falling to her knees in thanks. Biktimirova was on her heels till the end, finishing just two seconds back in 2:25:27.

When Biktimirova fell behind then sucked it up and caught Tune on this stretch...it was absolutely incredible! It was better than any show on TV.

If you ever wonder if you can get inspired by watching a road race, this the example to use. I wanted to jump off the couch and get out the door right then!

This was a showcase of the human competitive spirit...and a great source of inspiration as we toe the line in Louisville this Saturday!