In perhaps the worst rain and headwinds in Boston Marathon history, Chula Vista’s Des Linden won the memorable 2018 race in 2 hours, 39 minutes and 55 seconds.
Sunday, at the Chicago Marathon in ideal weather conditions, the Hilltop High School grad clocked 2:27:35 — only 5 minutes off her 2011 best of 2:22:38.
But Linden, who turned 40 in late July, notched a milestone mark.
She beat the American masters record of 2:27:47 set in 2015 by Deena Kastor — also at Chicago. Kastor sent her congrats.
“Dеs Linden’s journey to the 2023 Chicago Marathon has been nothing short of inspirational,” Joy Gure wrote before the race in essentiallysports.com. “After a hand injury sustainеd in a boat accidеnt in July, her participation in the marathon sееmеd uncеrtain.”
Linden didn’t cut herself any slack, however, saying on social media: “The U.S. masters marathon record of 2:27:47 might not be the record for much longer!”
On Sept. 21, Linden tweeted: “Finally in that training sweet spot, in great shape and adapted to all the stressors — volume, intensity, and accumulation of fatigue. Enjoying all 7 days of this feeling because it’s almost time to feel shitty from the taper.”
In bettering the masters record, two-time Olympian Desiree “Des” Nicole Linden took 17th in the women’s race, won by Ethiopian-born Sifan Hassan, now running for Holland, in the second-fastest time in history — 2:13:44.
The men’s winner was Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, who set a world record in just his third marathon, clocking 2:00:35 — 34 seconds faster than the previous 2:01:09 record by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022.
- View: Photos and video of Des Linden at the Chicago Marathon
- See: Complete results for Des Linden at the Chicago Marathon
Linden, who lives in Charlevoix, Michigan, averaged 5 minutes, 38 seconds per mile Sunday — taking 119th overall in a field expected to be a record 47,000 runners.
In April, the Brooks Running athlete released her memoir — “Choosing to Run.”
Linden also holds the women’s world record in the 50K run — 31 miles — in 2:59:54.
Still ahead of her in 40-plus running are Russia’s Mariya Konovalova, whose 2:22:27 is the listed women’s marathon record in the 40-44 age group. But Helalia Johannes of Namibia is credited with a stunning 2:19:52 in December 2020.
