Nor'easter may challenge Boston Marathon participants

A whole bunch of friends of mine are flying out to the Hub City to run in Monday's Boston Marathon.

Even if you've competed in a marathon before, running 26.2 miles is never easy.

As for the 111th Boston Marathon, scheduled for Monday--this may end up to be the most challenging one of all.

From the Boston Channel:

Another storm, possibly a powerful nor'easter, could develop south of Long Island late in the weekend and early next week, making for a very wet Boston Marathon.

The storm could bring heavy precipitation, strong winds and coastal flooding if it were to develop.

Storm Trak 5 meteorologist J.C. Monahan said there is the potential to have as much as 5 inches of rain from the storm, which is expected to begin Sunday afternoon and last, possibly, through Tuesday.

The winds will be quite strong from the east, she said, especially Sunday night into the first part of Monday. That brings the risk of coastal flooding during high tide Sunday night.

Weather has not cooperated with recent Boston Marathons. I ran in the 2004 race--the mid 80's temperatures made it the second hottest Boston Marathon ever--that's me in the picture from that race. The weather for the following year's marathon was just a little cooler.

I'm not running in Monday's race, but between a nor'easter and hot weather, I'll take the heat.

The Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the grandaddy of all marathons, says despite the weather, the race will not be cancelled.

The Boston Marathon has never been called off for any reason, although in 1918, a marathon relay to build morale for World War I troops replaced the usual endeavor

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