In every community, there's a Marathon winner

Crossing finish line is its own reward

Andrew McIntire of Mattapoisett ran the race in under three hours. (MARATHONFOTO)

The Boston Marathon had one overall winner, Robert Cheruiyot from Kenya, and various other official winners in a grab bag of divisions. But they were far from the only victors in the 112th edition of the race from Hopkinton to Boston last week.

Most, if not all, of those who completed the course probably felt they were winners, too, even without a laurel wreath or medal awaiting them at the finish line. Among them was a local category of undeclared winners - the top runners from each community in the area south of Boston.

Like Cheruiyot, they sacrificed time with loved ones to pound the pavement for endless hours of training. They arose early, shivered through slush and snow in morning runs, or ran late at night after they helped with their kids' homework and put them to bed.

Now, in the days after the race, sore but happy, they can look back and enjoy their run. For some, it may be their last marathon - unless they can gear up their tired bodies again, or persuade spouses that the endless hours of weekend runs are worth it.

Andrew McIntire has the distinction of running the fastest time of anyone from Mattapoisett. Which is to say, he was faster than the two other runners from town.

The 42-year-old posted a time of a just under three hours, which was his goal, so he was happy.

He loved the experience. Running the Boston Marathon, he said, was completely different from the earlier marathon he ran.

"It was great, crazy," he said, because of the enormous cheering crowds along the whole route, a refrain echoed by other runners. "I had my kids write my name on my chest and people were cheering for me, and it was heartfelt."

McIntire, who gave up running when his children were younger, said the Marathon made him glad he returned to the sport.

For Peter W. Richter, one of the worst parts of the Marathon was the following morning, when he had to climb on a plane for work. "It was pretty painful," said Richter, who had the fastest time for Norwell runners.

It was his third Marathon. He ran his first in 1997, or as he put it, "three kids, three jobs, and three moves ago." The 35-year-old Frito-Lay finance director got back into running a year ago and is elated that he broke the three-hour mark by about a minute.

The training - especially those three-hour runs on Sunday afternoons - can be a little tough on family time, but his wife is understanding, he said. "It makes me a happy person," he said.

Michael G. Scott of Middleborough just finished his sixth Boston event in a time of about 3 hours 13 seconds. It was the 12th marathon for the 39-year-old Plymouth County assistant district attorney who also does "iron man" triathlons, which combine swimming, running, and biking.

The father of three girls ages 5 to 10 got into distance running after his children were born and he "needed an excuse to get out of the house," he joked.

He said he loves running in other cities, where he can meet fellow runners from across the country and all over the world.

Morgan Scheiber finished third among Marshfield runners, but has the distinction of winning the Marshfield marathon, held on New Year's Day, six times in a row. Of course, he cheerfully acknowledges, sometimes he's the only person left running by the end. The race attracts about 40 runners, he said.

The dentist was proud of this year's Boston time of 3:14, which was a personal best. It was his 10th Boston race.

Vincent F. Chiappetta, who turned in the fastest time from Hingham, is proud of this distinction: His marathons outnumber his years. At age 52, he's run 53 marathons, he said. Seventeen were in Boston. He now runs two or three a year.

Chiappetta comes from a running family - he grew up watching his father, also Vincent, run races. His 74-year-old dad, who ran more than 100 marathons, is hoping to do one more.

James L. Walker Jr. of Brockton thinks of running as a hobby, like other people see gardening. To him, it's something to do in his spare time. The 53-year-old has run 24 marathons, including races in Australia and Guam.

Boston was the first marathon for Kevin A. O'Brien of East Bridgewater. The 18-year-old freshman at Westfield State College took up running after watching his father run the race. O'Brien, who also runs track at school, said the crowd was amazing.

"From BC on to the finish line, you were deaf, so many people were applauding," he said.

So, will these runners be back to run the 113th Boston Marathon next year? It depends.

"I'm saying it's my last because I was told it was my last," McIntire said, referring to his wife. He gave up running for many years when his children were younger. But, he added, he's already working to change her mind.

Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.