Locals at Boston Marathon: Chris Batista fastest; Jim Musante guts out his 46th
Eighteen of the 30,000-plus runners Monday were from Volusia and Flagler Counties. That includes Jim Musante, who ran his 46th straight.
The 130th Boston Marathon included more than 30,000 competitors from 120 different countries. Eighteen of them were from Volusia and Flagler Counties. As he did a year ago, DeLand’s Chris Batista turned in Monday’s fastest time among the locals — two hours, 53 minutes and 12 seconds (2:53:12).
The fastest local woman was Ormond Beach’s Shannon Jones, with a time of 3:00:18. She finished 53rd out of nearly 1,700 runners in the 40-44 age division. 46 straight Boston Marathons for New Smyrna Beach's Jim Musante As always, the local roster included Jim Musante, of New Smyrna Beach, who pushed his ongoing streak to 46 straight completed Boston Marathons.
Depending on Monday’s full results, Musante’s streak is at least the eighth longest current streak of consecutive finishes in the Patriots Day classic. But it wasn't easy. After consecutive years in the 3½-hour range, Musante entered this year's event without his usual training, due to hamstring and meniscus injuries.
He said he hadn't run more than 10 miles since last year's Boston Marathon. The pre-Boston hobbling was reflected in his time of 4:54:59, his second slowest ever. "I took it very easy, and I'm very happy," said Musante, who only needed to beat six hours to guarantee an invitation to make it 47 straight next year.