INSPIRING STORIES
Des Linden, Boston Champion
A RACE YEARS IN THE MAKING
“After near misses and so many days working toward this, I feel proud and overjoyed.”
Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project veteran Desiree Linden won the 2018 Boston Marathon in commanding fashion. Linden secured her victory in a time of 2 hours, 39 minutes and 54 seconds, more than four minutes ahead of the second-place finisher on a day that tested runners with driving rain and near gale force winds. She becomes the first American woman to win Boston since 1985.
Despite the challenging conditions, Linden ran patiently, at one point slowing to help American runner Shalane Flanagan back into the lead pack. Minutes later, she surged away from the group to bridge the gap between her and then-leader Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia. She and Gladys Chesir of Kenya passed Daska with about five miles to go. Showing her true grit and determination, Linden surged again taking the lead and rounding the corner onto Boylston with her closest competition nearly four minutes behind, never looking back.
AN INTERVIEW WITH DES
Keep showing up
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“When things get tough, ask yourself why you spend time training instead of pursuing other endeavors. Whatever your reasons, use them to push on.”
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“Don’t tense up. To run fast, you gotta stay loose. When my body tenses, I repeat the mantra, ‘Calm, calm, calm. Relax, relax, relax.’”
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“This is your job for the duration of the race. Manage yourself, the terrain and the conditions. And make sure that you’re wearing the right gear.”
POST RACE
“We can’t overstate how big this moment is for Des and for U.S. running. She has knocked at the door of Boston year after year, and we are humbled and thrilled with her persistence. Des is a class act and now a Boston champion; all of us at Brooks are toasting to her today!” — Steve DeKoker, Brooks Sports Marketing Manager
“I never could have imagined how incredible the feeling of breaking the tape on Boylston would be if I tried. This one race has been years in the making. After near misses and so many days working toward this, I feel proud and overjoyed. […] Winning Boston is everything. I’ve always been chasing down the big W, and it changed everything for me personally, on a historic level, and the broader significance for American women and American women’s running. Life changing, I don’t think I’ve really grasped that part quite yet.” — Desiree Linden, 2018 Boston Champion
Des crossed the finishline in 2:39:54, becoming the first American women to win Boston in 33 years. Des’ finish at the 2018 Boston Marathon was her first World Marathon Major win, after placing 2nd in three other marathons.
Runners had to battle some of the worst weather in the history of the Boston marathon—pelting rain, temperatures in the 30s, and wind gusting over 30 miles per hour. Nearly 3,000 of over 30,000 runners did not finish the 2018 race.
Des has an excellent support system at home, including her golden retriever, Boston, and husband, Ryan. Des and Ryan met through running with the Hanson-Brooks elite group and they have been pushing each other ever since.
In addition to her standard long runs, Des suppliments her marathon training at the gym. Yoga and plank workouts are her go-to. Keeping her core strong is crucial for combatting common running problems like weak hips.
After placing 4th at the 2017 Boston Marathon, Des felt disappointed and decided to take a break, after running professionally for 7 years. Five months later, she found a renewed drive, crushing workouts that she hadn’t done in years.