Homer resident Gary Lyon gave himself an early birthday present this year sore quads.
Lyon completed his second Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing the challenging race in 4 hours, 13 minutes and 16 seconds. He turns 61 years old Saturday.
"I didn't improve," Lyon said from Massachusetts on Tuesday . "Maybe that means I'm getting old."
Lyon ran the race four years ago when it was held in 80-degree temperatures. This year, however, the conditions were much better for distance running, he said, mid 50s and a nice breeze. Lyon was among 56 Alaskans to compete in the 112th running of the race this year. The fastest was Kevin Brinegar of Fairbanks who finished the oldest annual city marathon in the world in 2:43:24.
Lyon lives on Skyline Drive and does most of his long-distance training on the Homer Spit Trail or up and down Baycrest Hill. For shorter runs and interval training, he works out on a treadmill.
The Boston Marathon is notorious for its Heartbreak Hill, some five miles from the finish line. But Lyon said Heartbreak is just one of several near the end of the race.
"It's constantly up and down. Most people don't train on the downhills enough. I could have used more training," he said. Similar sentiments were reportedly shared by Lance Armstrong, the six-time winner of the Tour de France bicycle race who competed this year, Lyon said.
Racing in the Boston Marathon is a good excuse for Lyon to go visit family and friends in the Massachusetts area, he said, and is made special by all the community support.
Spectators line the entire 26.2-mile course, shouting encouragement, he said.
Lyon was one of 25,000 people who qualified for this year's race after he got a good enough time at the Anchorage Midnight Sun Marathon.
Lyon said two marathons was probably enough, but would entertain the idea of another race sometime in the future.
"If I do (qualify), I might do it again," he said.
Monday's race was special for the Lyon family as he did it in memory of his nephew who died earlier this year. In the mid 1990s his nephew had qualified as a runner for the race, but fell off a three-story building and became a parapalegic just three weeks before the race.
In 1997, his nephew completed the race in a wheelchair, despite breaking his wrist in a fall during the race.
"I ran this race with a picture of him on my back," Lyon said. "He was with me."
For complete results, visit www.bostonmarathon.org.
Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@homernews.com.
