The locals are gaining ground

Time was when an American breaking the tape on Patriots Day was as much a holiday tradition in Boston as the Red Sox playing at Fenway that morning. Eight times it happened between 1973 and 1983 -- and not since. ''Everybody misses that," says Guy Morse, the Boston Athletic Association's executive director. ''That's part of the tradition and lore, but it's also part of our legacy going forward. We need to do everything we can to recreate that."

It's been 23 years since Greg Meyer won here and 24 since Alberto Salazar prevailed in New York City, but domestic runners finally are within an arm's length of snatching the laurel wreath in both cities. Meb Keflezighi twice has finished in the top three at New York and Alan Culpepper was fourth here last year. If either can win Monday, it will be the shot heard round the world for United States distance running.

''The lay person who doesn't know road racing knows about the Boston Marathon," says Meyer, whose victory here set him up handsomely. ''It's part of our culture; it's an icon race. It's like people who don't know horse racing know about the Kentucky Derby."

When Meyer won, the BAA didn't offer prize money. Once the cash was on the line, though, the field was flooded by top-shelf foreigners, almost all of them from Africa, and they'll pose a formidable barrier again. Though Keflezighi was the Olympic runner-up two years ago, 10 of his rivals have faster personal bests. And though Culpepper's finish last year was the best by a Yank since 1987, he was still nearly two minutes behind Ethiopian victor Hailu Negussie.

''We didn't have to contend with 14 runners from Kenya," says Bill Rodgers, who beat a Minnesotan, a Texan, a Japanese, and an Italian in his four victories here. ''It is much tougher going against that kind of depth. No one's unbeatable, but it's very tough."

Without doubt, though, the Americans are drawing closer, most notably with the medal efforts by Keflezighi and Deena Kastor (who won bronze) in Athens two summers ago. ''The success Meb and Deena have had at this level has inspired a group of athletes who now believe they can win," says Mary Wittenberg, race director of the New York City Marathon.

At least they're coming closer. Last year, there were two Americans (Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman) in the top five at New York and two (Culpepper and Peter Gilmore) in the top 10 in Boston for the first time since 1993. For media buzz and spectator interest, that's priceless.

''It just connects everybody," says Carey Pinkowski, race director of the Chicago Marathon, where Kastor won last autumn and Khalid Khannouchi prevailed twice before and twice after gaining US citizenship in 2000. ''It engages everyone a little more and heightens everything."

It's been more than two decades since there's been that kind of connection along the strip of blacktop between Hopkinton and Boston. Not since Gary Tuttle finished second in 1985, the last year before prize money kicked in, has there been a US male in the top three.

''The exposure that Alan got for fourth place was like he'd won the race," says Wittenberg. ''That shows you how significant an American winning would be. Boston is still the granddaddy."

Just in case there's any confusion about who the homeboys are, BAA officials have asked Keflezighi and Culpepper to wear their USA jerseys on race day. Picking out the Yanks was no problem in 1983, when nine of them finished in the top 10. That won't come close to happening Monday, but it's no pipe dream to think Keflezighi, Culpepper, Brian Sell, and Clint Verran all could be there.

At the very least, the top Americans should be up among the leaders for most of the afternoon, which hasn't happened here since the prize was a trophy, a wreath, and a bowl of beef stew.

''I remember when Bill Rodgers would be training with foreign runners on the course here and guys would come up out of manhole covers and say, 'Kick their ass, Billy!' " Meyer says. ''That's what Boston wants to see. People want to cheer for the home team."