Harvard’s hills prepare runners for 128th Boston Marathon

From the starting line in Hopkinton to the race’s final stretch in the heart of Boston, spectators filled the streets during the 128th Boston Marathon on Patriots’ Day, clinking their cowbells and reminding athletes to be “Boston Strong.” Recognized as the world’s oldest marathon, the 26.2-mile course is renowned for its challenging hills and rich heritage, making it a coveted event for runners worldwide.

This year, eight runners from Harvard and Ayer finished the race. Harvard resident Spencer Holland, who completed his fifth Boston Marathon, explained that the energy and overall environment of the race inspire him to return as a runner each year.

“It really is just an incredible event with the crowd support, the history, knowing so many people who are running it, and living so close to the course,” Holland said, adding that his marathon experience was different this year due to training injuries. “Once the concerns about time were out the window, it was nice to say hi to friends and former running teammates along the way and not sweat about the final time.”

Holland isn’t the only runner who is drawn back to the race and the challenge to conquer Newton’s infamous “Heartbreak Hill” each year. Ayer resident Jason Bui completed his 14th consecutive Boston Marathon on Monday, while Harvard resident Jon Schoenberg marked his 30th. For marathoners who reside in Massachusetts, training for the difficult course can be done in their backyard.

“My last long run was actually through Harvard, for the hills,” said Bui, who regularly works as a timer for races in Harvard. “I think when training for Boston, you definitely have to train on hills, so I’ll purposefully look for hilly routes and I’ll cross-train with biking.”

While Holland sometimes trains in Newton for its hills, he said that finding flat terrain suitable for training in Harvard can be challenging. He often crosses paths with Harvard resident Yong Xue during runs through a Boxborough office park, which offers flatter ground for running. Xue was Harvard’s fastest Boston Marathon runner this year, with a finish time of 3 hours, 4 minutes, and 55 seconds.

Despite the course’s obstacles, Bui said he always looks forward to reaching the final stretch of the race near Boylston Street. “I know that no matter how I feel, that last mile is going to be easy and fast because of the crowd,” Bui said. “Even if I’m struggling, I know that if I can get to mile 25.5, the crowd will bring me home.”

The warmer temperatures and lack of cloud cover made this year’s race particularly difficult for Bui, whose goal is to finish in under three hours every year. “I knew I had to adapt my goals, and I probably could have gone for sub-three, but it would have been painful.” Bui is determined to run a marathon in all 50 states with a finishing time under three hours, and he is already halfway there.

Holland said he also realized that he wasn’t going to achieve a personal best at this year’s marathon. “This was the first time I’ve actually raced with an injury,” he said, adding that he was nearly 30 minutes slower when comparing his finish time with the Philadelphia Marathon in 2022. “But time is all relative; there’s no bad times or good times. That’s what I say about running—you’re just in competition with yourself.”

Out of the 25,538 athletes who competed in ​this year’s marathon, organized by the Boston Athletic Association, four were from Harvard and four were from Ayer. The results for Harvard and Ayer’s Boston Marathon participants in the overall race are as follows:

• Yong Xue:  3,669th, 3:04:55
• Jason Bui:  3,732nd, 3:05:18
• Spencer Holland:  4,181st, 3:07:41
• Justin Maly:  6,253rd, 3:17:27
• Tom Cavicchi:  10,367th, 3:33:24
• Jon Schoenberg:  13,514th, 3:46:43
• Alexandra Rolfe:  16,605th, 4:02:33
• Allyson Webster:  19,424th, 4:24:08

Amanda LaRiviere is a former Press intern and Northeastern University journalism graduate who lives and works in Boston.