I watched the 111th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday. Viewing the front runners in the historic run from the seat of my exercise bike is not the perspective I prefer.

I was just a little jealous of the more than 20,000 runners toeing the line at Hopkinton despite the threatening weather. There's really no other marathon like Boston.

What makes it different?

First, there's the tradition. It's run every year on Patriot's Day for 111 years, except for one of the World War II years when the distance event was run as a relay.

In its long history, the Boston Marathon has gathered a list of characters and stories. It's like reading a novel while it's being written.

The lore of Boston evolves, from the early years of runners like Tarzan Brown and Heartbreak Hill to Katherine Switzer, first woman to complete the race with an official number, and Jock Semple, the Boston Athletic Association director who tried to rip her from the course, to last year's winner Robert Cheruiyot, who slipped and suffered a concussion at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon in 2006.

Because the event takes place on a major New England holiday, crowds line the course for the entire 26.2 miles from the small village west of Boston to the finish downtown.

The Boston Marathon is the one that everybody, not only runners, recognizes. To the general public, running the race confers a certain legitimacy to your avocation. You're a "real runner" if you've been to Boston.

Then there's the qualifying time. During the first running boom in the early 1970s, registrations for the marathon soared. The Boston Athletic Association limited the field by instituting cutoff times for applicants.

But rather than limit the field, qualifying times have made the marathon even more popular. The race hosted more than 35,000 runners for its 100th running in 1996.

The Boston Marathon has been called "the average runner's Olympics." Although qualifying for Boston takes planning and dedicated training, meeting the qualifying standard is within the reach of many of us who haven't chosen our parents wisely.

As it turned out, my living room was probably a good vantage point for the race. The event was the coldest on record since 1961 with a temperature of 42 degrees at the 10 a.m. starting time. Add the intermittent rain and gusting winds and it meant uncomfortable and slowing conditions.

In the men's event, most of the elite field ran a conservative race. After chasing down a 2 minute lead by a couple of Kenyan speedsters from Georgia, the pack slowly dwindled to two.

In the end, Robert Cheruiyot surged away from fellow Kenyan James Kwambai to win his third Boston Marathon and collected the $100,000 prize for a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes 13 seconds, the slowest men's finishing time since 1977.

In the women's event, American Deena Kastor, competing in her first Boston Marathon, was a pre-race favorite. However, she dropped back early, as did last year's winner, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya. But Kastor collected $25,000 and the honor of a place on USA World Championship team as the USATF women's champion for her finish of 2:35:09.

That left the race for first place to three women who ran as a pack for most of the second half of the race. With about two miles to go, Russian Lidiya Grigoryeva broke away with an increase in pace of 15 seconds per mile. She managed to hang on for the win over fellow Russian and first masters winner, Jelena Prokopcuka. In the adverse conditions, Grigoryeva's 2:29:18 time was the slowest women's finish since 1985.

To read more about the Boston Marathon or to find out how you can qualify, visit www.baa.org. Maybe we'll watch the race from the streets of Boston next year.

Upcoming eventsSaturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Ed's got the coffee on for this fun run. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.comSaturday, 8 a.m.: Oak Hollow Park Cross Country Challenge, Irwin. Challenging road and off-road race. No pre-race registration. Part of Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners series. 412-303-8610 or holdercm@westinghouse.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Big Blue Quest 5K Run, 2K Walk, North Park. Run to raise awareness of colon and rectal cancer and the importance of screening colonoscopies. 412-359-3902 or ksainiak@wpahs.orgSaturday, 9 a.m.: UPMC Health Plan Genesis Riverside Run, Pittsburgh. Choice of 10K or 5K along Allegheny River Trail. 412-766-2693 or tricia@genesispgh.orgSaturday, 9 a.m.: Riverside Band Boosters Band-Aid 10K Run, 5K Walk, Ellwood City. 724-752-3029 or razkoz@yahoo.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Race for the Moon and Stars 5K Run and Walk, McKeesport. Benefits American Cancer Society. 412-885-2537Saturday, 9 a.m.: Pump House Run 5K, North Allegheny Intermediate High School, Wexford. Run on cross country course, also 1-mile run, half -mile run and tot trot for kids. 412-630-5807 or DSchmidt@northallegheny.orgSaturday, 9 a.m.: Ohio's Fastest 5K, Youngstown, Ohio. 330-770-2166 or yotriclub.tripod.com/5kSunday, 7:30 a.m.: Penn Relays Distance Classic 20K and 5K, Philadelphia. Flat-and-fast USATF certified course, kickoff event to Penn Relays. 215-898-6145 or www.ThePennRelays.comSunday, 10 a.m.: Burgh's Pizza and Wing Pub 10K Run, 2-Mile Walk, Cecil. USATF certified course on Montour Trail, postrace party. 412-913-8270 or dailyenterprise@hotmail.comSunday, 10 a.m.: Mount Summit Challenge 3.5 Mile Run and Walk, Hopwood. Point-to- point course, postrace pizza party. 724-438-0628 or www.fayettestriders.orgApril 25, 7 p.m.: Sunset Sprint 5K, Grove City. USATF certified loop with downhill finish. 724-264-1276 or Langerar1@gcc.eduApril 28, 10 a.m.: Y Not Run 5K, Grove City. Run through Grove City College grounds and surrounding countryside. 724-458-9781 or www.grovecityymca.orgMay 5, 10 a.m.: Upper West Branch Triathlon, Curwensville. Relay or individual run 4.4 miles, canoe or kayak 3 miles, 12.8-mile bike ride. Canoes can be rented from McCracken Canoes, 814-765-1410. www.clfdccd.comMay 13, 8:30 a.m.: Race for the Cure 5K Run, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh. Biggest running event in Pittsburgh. Register online and they'll mail your T-shirt. 412-342-0500 or www.komenpittsburgh.orgMay 19, 7:45 a.m.: Birdsfoot 5K, Freeport. 724-309-7897 or wagz33@yahoo.com

Race results

Sharon Speedway Battle on the Border, April 14: (Winning team: Pennsylvania), Justin and Joshua Boggs, 1st and 2nd Overall M, 27:25; Tammy Brown, 1st Overall W, 40:22; Kathy Shoaf, 2nd Overall W, 43:47; Jeff Nelson, 1st Masters M, 28:42; Malcolm East, 1st 50-59 M, 29:56; Mitch Radella, 1st 40-44 M, 31:31; Lou Alaksin, 1st 60+ M, 35:42; Bruce Soule, 2nd 30-39 M, 37:28; Mindy Frazer, 2nd Under 40 W, 47:48; Len Yensull, 46:19

Boston Marathon, April 16: Mark Courtney, 2:57:31; Dennis Javens, 3:15:59; Emmett Santillo, 3:17:17; Matthew Palilla, 3:21:12; Dave Sippel, 3:21:49; Scott Pearson, 3:29:06; John Armstrong, 3:29:50; Steve Curcio Jr., 3:34:29; John Millea, 3:39:30; Michelle Ellery, 3:40:46; Cindy Grimm, 3:41:44; Mark Pugh, 3:43:36; Margaret Mountain, 3:47:05; Curt Grimm, 3:51:03; Margie Zak, 3:57:37; R.J. Witchey, Jr., 3:58:48; David Potsubay, 4:17:25; Rajiv Sawhney, 4:21:28; Barbara Billek-Sawhney, 4:21:29; Julie Bleakney, 4:27:56; Angela Marczak, 4:38:00Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Road, Saxonburg, Pa. 16056. Phone or fax: 724-352-4395. email: bigp16@connecttime.netPat Neubert is the running columnist for the Butler Eagle.