In late February, Anchorage's Tom Ritchie ran the Phoenix Half-Marathon as a final tune-up race for the Boston Marathon and his result told him he is tuned in for America's most celebrated 26.2-miler on Monday.
Ritchie, a 42-year-old physical education teacher at South High, clocked a personal-record 1 hour, 13 minutes, 5 seconds, to finish fifth overall and win his age group.
"It's a huge confidence-boost,'' Ritchie said. "Hopefully, I've improved since then. I've had my best training cycle for Boston and I'm 42 now, so I've got to take it where I can.''
All four guys who finished in front of Ritchie were 34 or younger, and the top three finishers all came from college running backgrounds.
Ritchie is South's former wrestling coach and he's stuck around the program as an assistant coach. He's a former college and high school wrestler, and that sport requires not just great physical conditioning but mental strength and discipline too.
"It's just a demanding sport and it teaches you such a great work ethic, and I've tried to translate that into my running,'' Ritchie said.
Ritchie said he sometimes runs twice a day, rolling out of bed and grabbing a quick cup of coffee for, say, an easy 45-minute run at 5:30 a.m. and then adding a second run in the afternoon.
Ritchie last summer finished fourth in Anchorage's Mayor's Marathon in 2:34:38, one second faster than his previous best, 2:34:29 at the 2011 Boston Marathon, where he finished 74th overall.
Conditions permitting Monday in Boston — he has a good day and it's not too warm — Ritchie believes he can lower his PR.
"My goal is 2:32 or 2:31,'' Ritchie said. "If things go right, I just want to PR.''
Ritchie is one of more than 60 Alaskans registered for Monday's race in Boston.
Anchorage's Jacob Kirk, 23, the former Grace Christian and Montana State runner, will be making his Boston debut after running his first marathon last summer, when he finished third in the Mayor's Marathon in 2:33:41.
"It was all I could hope for,'' Kirk said of Mayor's.
Kirk, who arrived in Boston in the middle of last week to get used to the time change and enjoy the city, said his training for the race was interrupted by an injury to the arch of his right foot. Kirk said his foot feels good now, but he's not sure he can duplicate his performance at Mayor's.
"I'm a little shocked it was that fast,'' he said. "Not expecting to go faster in Boston. I'm here more for the race, the event, and to experience Boston, and not to pass out halfway.''
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr