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Des Linden to race 2020 Boston Marathon and Olympic Trials

Why Des Linden wants to go out "in a blaze of glory"

The 2018 Boston Marathon champ, Des Linden, is returning to the race for 2020. Alongside defending champion Worknesh Degefa and 2017 champion Edna Kiplagat, Linden will vie for a position on the podium.

But Boston isn’t the only race on Linden’s radar–she will also run the 2020 US Olympic Trials in Atlanta just 51 days earlier. And then, hopefully, the Olympic Marathon, three months after Boston.

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Linden told the Wall Street Journal that she’s been plotting running both races for about a year. “I mean, I’m 36. I don’t have anything left to save it for,” Linden said. “I want to go out in a blaze of glory. This is it, you know?…I’m passionate about it, and I think I can do it.”

This year’s Olympics won’t be easy to make, with one of the deepest and fullest fields the U.S. trials has ever seen. There’s Emily Sisson to contend with, who ran a 2:23:08 at London this year, and Sisson’s training partner, Molly Huddle, who’s clocked a lifetime best of 2:26:33.

Besides those two, there’s Sara Hall, who ran a blazing 2:22:16 in Berlin, Jordan Hasay (the second-fastest American marathoner of all time) and event veteran Amy Cragg. But once again Linden is betting on herself. As a known grinder, she’s got a real shot at a Boston victory and a third Olympic team.

Boston lineup

On Tuesday morning, the Boston Marathon announced the first roll-out of their 2020 elite lists. It includes 16 former champions.

Women

Worknesh Degefa – 2019 Boston champion

Des Linden – 2018 Boston champion

Edna Kiplagat – 2017 Boston champion

Caroline Rotich – 2015 Boston champion

Wheelchair women

Manuela Schär – 2017 and 2019 Boston champion

Tatyana McFadden – 2018 Boston champion

Geoffrey Kirui
Geoffrey Kirui wins the 121st Boston Marathon. Photo: Canadian Running

Men

Lawrence Cherono – 2019 Boston champion

Lelisa Desisa – 2013, 2015 Boston champion

Geoffery Kirui – 2017 Boston champion

Yuki Kawauchi – 2018 Boston champion

Wheelchair men

Josh Cassidy – 2012 Boston champion

Marcel Hug – four-time Boston champion

Ernst van Dyk – 10-time Boston champion

Daniel Romanchuk – 2019 Boston champion

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