It’s 26-miles long, 26.2 to be exact.
It often doesn’t matter how good your training has been, how good you feel leading up to a marathon, it’s not always going to work out as planned.
For Bishop Feehan alum and Cumberland native Abbie McNulty the final time on the clock of Monday’s Boston Marathon wasn’t exactly what she was looking for, but it still produced a PR in the end. McNulty grinded her way to a time of 2 hours, 34 minutes, 51 seconds. It was a performance that placed her 31st overall among the top women in the world.
In the men’s race, former Wachusett star Colin Bennie, who is the fiancé of McNulty, was 18th overall and the sixth American to cross the finish line with a time of 2:11.46.
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McNulty went into her race with a goal of breaking 2:30, or at least coming close. She could sense right away it was going to be a struggle to achieve that milestone on what was a near perfect day for racing.
“I thought I was ready for it,” she said on Tuesday afternoon. “I just kind of felt a little off from the start. I just didn’t have the legs. Honestly, with how I felt, I was pretty happy with cutting and grinding it out. I ran a lot of the race solo. For how I felt, I was happy. But I definitely wish I ran what I sought out to do. All in all, it was a fun day. Boston is awesome.”
McNulty, whose previous best was 2:36.00, ran consistent sub six-minute splits for the first half of the course. She passed through the halfway mark in Wellesley in 1:15.58.
“I went through the half slower than I wanted,” she said. “I knew the hardest part was still ahead of me. There was a lot of talking to myself, calming myself down. I knew it wasn’t going to be the day I was hoping for. I just wanted to do everything I could to get across the line. It could have been a lot worse. I was really happy with staying calm and finishing strong. It was a PR, so I can’t complain too much.”
The “hardest part” that McNulty was making reference to was the series of four uphill climbs in Newton between miles 17-21. The last of the hills, just past mile 20, is commonly referred to as Heartbreak Hill.
“There was a decent amount of hills, more than I expected,” she said. “Heartbreak was hard. You’re almost mentally ready for that one. You know it’s coming. You know it’s going to be hard. I thought the hills at the beginning of the race were more challenging mentally. I wasn’t as geared up for them.”
Despite not feel her best, McNulty was able to race that final five-plus miles at just over six-minute pace, Her last mile, she clocked 5:48.
“I think I start to pick it up the last two miles,” she said. “I was passing people and felt strong. I had a really rollercoaster (day). I wouldn’t be surprised if my last mile was my fastest. I don’t know if it was the crowds, the energy or just knowing I was close. I felt some life back in me in the end.”
With the throngs of spectators cheering on the runners the last couple of miles on Hereford Street, and then Boylston Street, McNulty said it was hard not to slow down.
“It was unreal,” she noted. “That whole last mile and a half, it’s just a true tunnel of people on both sides. It’s just crazy. You feel so empowered. It’s pretty awesome. I know this is cliche, the crowds truly got me through that race. There were definitely times when I was going, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to make it to the line.’ There were so many times where they are motivating me to the finish. That last mile and a half, it’s something I have not experienced anywhere else so far.”
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Like his soon-to-be wife, Bennie was also hoping for a faster time on Patriots Day. Nonetheless, his performance was his fourth time in as many Boston Marathons where he placed in the top 10 among Americans.
“I’m relatively happy,” he said. “How I felt and how it played out, I’d give it a B-plus, a B for the day. The legs weren’t where I wanted them to be. I am happy with how I was able to stick it out and run hard. Overall it was pretty solid. I’m pretty happy.”
Bennie came into the race looking to place among the top 10 and possibly challenge his all-time best of 2:09.38 from the Marathon (Ariz.) Project in 2020. Less than two months prior to Boston, he ran a half marathon in Atlanta, Ga., in 1:03.25.
Bennie ran the opening 5K at 4:50 per-mile pace, hitting the checkpoint in Ashland in 15-minutes flat. He went through the halfway mark in 1:04.54.
“I didn’t feel great (at that point),” he said. “Every now and then, things just don’t line up as well as you want. Yesterday, my body wasn’t where I wanted it to be.”
Through the Newton Hills, Bennie was able to maintain his composure. He averaged about 5:10 pace during the four-mile stretch.
“I knew it would be a serious grind,” he said. “I was able to stay pretty strong.”
Bennie, who signed with Brooks in 2023, believes he has another sub 2:10 in him.
“For sure,” he said. “In a perfect world, I would have done that (Monday). Things didn’t line up the way I wanted to. I think I’m knocking on the door of another big marathon.”
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The area had a few other ex-high school stars finish with solid, sub three-hour efforts.
Leading the way was Concord-Carlisle alum Brian RIch. The 2013 grad raced to a time of 2:24.39. Another former Concord star, Isabella Caruso, who also graduated in 2013, was timed in 2:46.41. She ran for the Dartmouth University running club where she is the club president.
Former Framingham and UMass-Amherst standout Ben Burgess finished the race with a time of 2:31.13. Allie Hackett of Tracksmith (MA) Hare AC, a onetime all-stater from Cranston West (RI), clocked 2:47.37. Adam Tenerowicz, who starred at Blackstone Millville Regional and William & Mary in the early 2000s, also broke three hours. The 39-year-old Marshfield runner was timed in 2:59.25.
In his first marathon, para-athlete Delmace Mayo crossed the line in an outstanding time of 2:04.50 in the wheelchair division. Bay State Running talked with Mayo and will have a complete story on his memorable race coming soon.
