The 15 U.S. elites racing a stacked 2018 Boston Marathon

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbH1W2yA0cy/

The 2018 Boston Marathon announced its domestic field and the women’s contingent includes just about every elite (and still active competitively) American marathoner.

Headlining the women’s field is 2017 New York City Marathon champion Shalane Flanagan, 2017 Boston and Chicago Marathon bronze medallist Jordan Hasay, American 10,000m record holder Molly Huddle and 2011 Boston Marathon runner-up Desiree Linden. Really, the only notable omission in the women’s field is 2017 IAAF World Championships bronze medallist Amy Cragg.

American record holder Deena Kastor, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, is also in the field as is Sara Hall, the 2017 U.S. Marathon Championships (and California International Marathon) winner.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcSdPtohbKp/?taken-by=sarahall3

Flanagan, a native of nearby Marblehead, Mass., considered retirement after the 2017 New York City Marathon in November but will extend her career until at least April with Monday’s Boston Athletic Association announcement.

In the men’s race, 2017 Chicago Marathon champion Galen Rupp looks to build upon his second-place finish in Boston from 2016. Dathan Ritzenhein, the third fastest American marathoner of all-time, Shadrack Biwott, who was fourth in Boston in 2016, and Abdi Abdirahman are set to join Rupp on the start line in Hopkinton, Mass. on April 16, 2018.

B.A.A. CEO Tom Grilk calls the 2018 entry list “the most decorated U.S. fields in Boston Marathon history.”

Boston’s U.S. elite field

And Here's the 2018 U.S. Elite Field! #Boston Marathon #TogetherForward @Abdi_runs@abumbalough@DeenaKastor@des_linden@djritzenhein@G_Rupp@JordanHasay@kellyn_taylor@MollyHuddle@ryanvail@SaraHall3@Scott_n_ready@serena_burla@ShalaneFlanagan@skiptoob pic.twitter.com/DCldh4Kvyy

— Boston Marathon Pro (@BostonMar_Pro) December 11, 2017

The full international field will be released at a later date. Both 2016 champions, Edna Kiplagat and Geoffrey Kirui, are confirmed for Boston, an announcement which was made in early December.