Karen Bertasso of Selkirk put on a remarkable performance at the 130th Boston Marathon, finishing the race in 2:41:25. This impressive time earned her the fifth place finish in the women’s 40-44 age group. Her achievement is particularly noteworthy given that her time was nearly identical to her performance at the California International Marathon just months earlier, even though Boston is widely regarded as a more challenging course.
Bertasso also demonstrated impressive consistency in her pacing, hitting the half marathon mark at 1:19:33, showing she maintained her rhythm despite the known hills of the second half of the Boston course. This incredible time also marks another step towards earning the prestigious Six Star medal, which requires completing marathons in Boston, New York City, Chicago, London, Tokyo, and Berlin.
Other Capital Region runners also celebrated strong results at the race. Eva Scott of Burnt Hills ran a 2:41:37, Cara Udvadia of Clifton Park finished in 2:44:08 (making her Boston debut alongside her husband Ryan, who placed well with a 2:36:31), and Tara Travis of Clifton Park completed the race in 2:54:23. The day also included a notable retirement from the elite ranks, as Dan Larson (3rd all-time finishes) decided not to run due to back issues, concluding his incredible 55-run streak, 50 of which were consecutive.