Des Linden, who was making her 29th start at a race marathon distance or longer, finished 11th at the Sara Vaughn Is Top American at NYC Marathon in 2:29:32.
Linden, 41, was the fourth American—behind Sara Vaughn, Jess McClain, and Kellyn Taylor—and she was the second masters athlete. Vivian Cheruyiot of Kenya, who finished third, is also 41.
This is the fifth time Linden has run New York, and it was the third marathon of 2024 for her. She was 11th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Jess McClain Takes Eighth at NYC Marathon 16Advertisement - Continue Reading Below in 2:28:27.
She was at the back of the lead pack, in 21st place, at halfway, which Linden passed in 1:14:03. As the race broke open along First Avenue, Linden stayed steady but fell behind the leaders, who were surging.
She gradually moved up in the race’s final miles. At mile 20, she was 17th. Over the next four miles, she moved up five places to her eventual finishing place, 11th.
Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won in 2:24:35 and Hellen Obiri, also of Kenya and the race’s defending champion, was second in 2:24:49.
Few pro athletes have enjoyed the longevity in the marathon that Linden has, and she shows no signs that retirement might be imminent, especially with a 30th marathon start on the horizon. Several high profile American runners, including Jenny Simpson, Noah Droddy, and Jake Riley, have said in recent days that they are retiring. Droddy pulled out of New York the week before, Simpson (18th) and Riley ran the race as their swan song.
But Linden keeps showing up. She’s likely to be on the start line of the Boston Marathon in April, where she won in 2018.
Linden takes home $7,000 in prize money, $5,000 for finishing as the fourth American and $2,000 for being the second masters athlete.
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World Marathon Spectators Are The Heart of the Race, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
