BOSTON – University of Portland alumnus Scott Fauble ('15) was the top U.S. finisher and placed seventh overall at the 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday. Fauble ran a PR of 2:09:09 to record the fastest U.S. time on the Boston course since Meb Keflezighi won the race in 2014 in 2:08:37.

The remarkable performance is the 11th fastest marathon time ever recorded by a runner from the United States and eighth best by an American in Boston Marathon history. He finished slightly ahead of the 2:09:27 time recorded by distance running legend Bill Rodgers in 1970.

Fauble was among the leaders throughout and surged to the front of the pack at mile 16.

"When I was leading, I was thinking, 'Holy bleep, I can't believe I'm leading the bleeping Boston Marathon,'" Fauble said. "It was just a surreal experience to be leading a race I grew up watching on TV — not even just growing up, I watched it on TV the last four years and kind of idolized the race and the experience."

Fauble bettered his previous best time of 2:12:28 set at the New York City Marathon in November. He also eclipsed the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifier standard of 2:11:30. 

Other than Galen Rupp, an American-born athlete had not broken 2:10:00 in a marathon event since Dathan Ritzenhein in Chicago on October 13, 2013.

"Scott's success surprises nobody," Portland men's cross country and track & field head coach Rob Conner said. "He was always the hardest working guy on our team and he has taken it to a new level as a professional. We are extremely excited for him and proud of his accomplishments."

Fauble is one of the most decorated distance runners in Portland's rich history. He led the 2014 Pilot cross country team to the first podium finish in program history at the NCAA Championships. Portland finished third and Fauble led the way with a 12th-place individual finish to earn his third straight cross country All-America honor. Fauble placed 13th at nationals in 2013 and 26th in 2014. He also earned All-America honors in the 10,000-meter run in 2012 and 2015.

Fauble's collegiate career included three times being named the  Fr. Chester Prusynski University of Portland Male Student-Athlete of the Year and earning the 2015 West Coast Conference Post-Graduate Scholarship.  

Links:
- LetsRun.com analyzes the performance of Fauble and other Americans

- RunnersWorld.com recaps the race

- Recap and reaction from Boston.com

- The Denver Post, Fauble's hometown paper, checks in with him after the race

- Be sure to bookmark ScottFauble.com which contains great content and writing from Fauble himself