Rob Larsen

USA! USA!

I'm really happy to see an American cross the line first in one of our premier races. I would rather it had been Boston, but I'll take NYC.

To me, it's not supposed to be this way. When I was growing up and learning about the event, the best marathoner in the world, Bill Rogers, lived 30 minutes away and was winning everything he entered.

He was followed in short order by Alberto Salazar, another dominant American distance runner.

And then? 25 years of crickets chirping.

Until today! What a great move to drop the great champion Robert Cheruiyot so decisively.

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Great American results today. Both Gaucher and Hall showed me that they've got what it takes to once again have an American on the top step of the podium. Hall was close in a very tough race against a killer field, and Gaucher had as good a chance as anyone. Hindsight is 20/20 of course, but I think if she'd waited a little bit to put the hammer down the push from the crowd she was counting on really might have been enough for her to ride all the way to the line. She was obviously gassed at Mass. Ave. Still both she and Hall should be nothing but proud today. They did the race proud and, for me, it was a true joy to be able to scream at the top of my lungs for a pair of Americans. The marathon is one of my favorite events of the year and having a real rooting interest is where it's at.

Back after a fight with prostate cancer, the four-time winner of the event and a true Boston sports legend, Bill Rodgers today verified that he'll be running next Monday's Boston Marathon.

The race is always one of my favorite days of the year in the city (you have no idea, unless you've experienced it, what the city looks like on Marathon Monday,) so having Rodgers return to the event is going to be something special indeed. I imagine the roar for Rodgers will be deafening. You'll know he's coming based on just the sound coming up the hill (yes, I'll be parked on Heartbreak Hill once again this year.)

It's going to be phenomenal.

Boston Marathon legend Bill Rodgers returns to the event where his fame began

Here's some video from his victory in 1979

Lance Armstrong

4 time winner Robert K Cheruiyot on Heartbreak Hill

Winner Dire Tune duels Alevtina-Biktimirova on Heartbreak Hill

Khalid El Boumlili

Fun times.

In the next ten or so days we have:

• The Boston Marathon One of the world's great sporting events takes place in my back yard I love the Marathon and this year my girlfriend and I are going to watch it from the course together, which is a first. We're heading to Heartbreak Hill to watch the elites and hopefully catch sight of Lance Armstrong before heading home for a little relaxation. Should be an awesome day.
• The Red Sox playthe Texas Rangers on the very same day. The annual Patriot's Day game has an early morning, 11:00 AM start time. Since the Marathon course goes right through Kenmore square the convergence of the two events is occasionally serendipitous- the game getting out just as the elite runners are hitting the square.
• The Boston Celtics, truly great again for the first time in twenty years, open the NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. I know the NBA is hoping for the return of the dream match up to end all dream match ups- a Celtics/Lakers NBA Final.

  I'd be pretty happy with that result too <- understatement.

• Over in Europe, the spring cycling calendar continues with The Amstel Gold Race on the 20th, La Flèche Wallonne 2008 on the 23rd and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on the 27th. While they don't possess the grand drama of the grand tours, the spring classics are dependably great racing and this week of back-to-back-to-back action is an annual highlight.
• Closer to home the top American riders will all be on the start line of the Tour de Georgia. Folks like George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Tom Danielson, Dave Zabriskie, Chris Horner, and Bobby Julich will be vying for top honors in this challenging race through the state of Georgia.

  Of special interest, as always, will be the premier stage in all of North American cycling, the mountaintop finish atop Brasstown Bald. The nearly mile high peak brings the best out of the American climbers and adding a win atop Brasstown Bald is one of the most impressive victories a cyclist can earn on North American roads.

• Women's Marathon 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be held in Boston the day before the Marathon (the 20th.) I'm not sure if I can make it out but it might be a lot of fun if I'm able. How often can one say they've seen two marathons live in two days?
• The Bruins? Heck, they might even be able to pull of an upset of Les Habitants. Not that I pay much attention to hockey anymore, but I know some people that do, so I've got to shout out the Bs
• Chelsea play Manchester United on April 26th. A game which could decide the Premier League. Fun times.

Did I miss anything? Even if I did that's enough to keep me entertained and my DVR in good shape for a while. Good times.