Chronister runs Boston Marathon

Brad Chronister makes his way uphill a half-mile from the finish line at the 113th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday. (Photo provided)

*Update*

I couldn't reach him before press time Tuesday, but Brad Chronister talked about his second running of the Boston Marathon.

Chronister, who is two weeks shy of graduating from the Air Force Academy, was slowed by leg cramps from the 19th mile on but still ran a faster time than last year. He said an injury suffered about a month ago disrupted his training -- tendinitis forced him to the pool and bike.

"My legs just weren't use to running anymore," he added.

Chronister pushed through, finishing in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 3 seconds for 202nd overall.

Early in the race, Chronister was running a 5:40 mile pace but he finished at 6:09.

"I just tried to hold the pace as long as I could," he said.

This was Chronister's third full marathon after running nearly a half-dozen half-marathons while also competing for the cross country team this fall at Air Force. Chronister also walked on as a freshman to the junior varsity basketball team after playing on Poplar Bluff's back-to-back state champion teams.

He hopes to run another major marathon like Chicago or New York but starts pilot training after spending the summer back home in Poplar Bluff.

"I'm looking forward to the break," he said.

Chronister's dad, Kirk, was at the race and was able to snap a photo. He's diving back to Poplar Bluff today and I'll post it at a later time.

Brad had to fly back to Colorado after the race Monday and wasn't free until Tuesday afternoon, too late to include this in today's DAR.

From earlier

Brad Chronister, a 2005 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School, is ran his second Boston Marathon in the 113th edition of the race Monday.

A senior at the United States Air Force Academy, Chronister finished in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 3 seconds for 202nd overall, 190th male and 169 in his division. He ran a 6:09 pace.

Last year he finished in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 46 seconds for 199th overall. Here's the story from last year:

BOSTON -- Heartbreak Hill lived up to its name for Brad Chronister.

The Poplar Bluff native fell off his sub-6-minute-mile pace after reaching the famed climb Monday in the 112th running of the Boston Marathon.

Chronister finished 199th overall with a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes, 46 seconds.

"They talk about hitting the wall," Chronister said, "it was like I got hit with a bus."

In just his second ever marathon -- he qualified for Boston in his first race -- Chronister finished 34 minutes off the near-record pace of winner Robert Cheruiyot.

A junior at the United States Air Force Academy, Chronister was one of eight runners from the school to compete in the 26.1-mile race. The USAF Academy Marathon Team finished ninth in the team standings as Chronister's time was second-best on his team and 158th in his division.

"I felt like it was a pretty good day and at the same time I felt like there was room for improvement," Chronister said.

Chronister, who was a state qualifier in cross country and a starter on the Mules state championship basketball team his senior year at Poplar Bluff, said he was unhappy with his finish Monday. He was running between a 5:55 and a 5:57 pace through the first 20 miles before hitting Heartbreak Hill.

"I heard how tough the latter part of the race was and it didn't disappoint," Chronister said. "Heartbreak Hill, it was true to the billing -- it was pretty rough. It wasn't as bad as the hills in Colorado."

Chronister said he trained anywhere from 90 to 115 miles per week while preparing for Monday, topping 100 miles in week six times.

Chronister had the 155th best American time and was 9 minutes faster than Lance Armstrong.

There were 75 teams in the men's open competition and 21,963 runners finished the race.

"It was packed for the first two or three miles," Chronister said. "It was like the start of a cross country race -- elbow to elbow."

Is there any more local runners in Boston?

Paul Fliege of Jackson finished at 3:04.50 for 1,891th

Ron Duff of Cape Girardeau finished in 3:44.46 for 104th in his division.

Also, the GO! St. Louis Marathon was held Sunday. Here are those resluts.