Winning the Boston Marathon is one of the greatest accomplishments in sports. But risking a chance to do that to support a teammate is even more special.
Desiree Linden was able to pull off both.
At about the midway point of her historic victory at the 122nd Boston Marathon, Linden’s teammate Shalane Flanagan had to take a bathroom break. She found one of the portable facilities along the course.
But Flanagan is not the only one who took a pit stop.
Linden, a San Diegan and Hilltop High School alum, is a good friend and teammate of Flanagan’s so she stopped and waited for her. The pair then pushed each other back to the front and Linden went on to break the tape for her first Boston win.
In an interview with NBC Sports Network, Linden said she was not feeling all that great at the beginning of the race and stopped because she thought she would be the one to help Flanagan win the race, telling her teammate, “If there’s anything I can do to help you let me know because I might drop out.”
If instant karma is indeed a thing then it certainly paid off for the San Diegan, who became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon since Lisa Rainsberger in 1985.
