Californian gives hope to U.S. men.

Byline: Rich Garven; Jennifer Toland

COLUMN: BOSTON MARATHON NOTES

BOSTON - It has been 26 years now since an American won the Boston Marathon. But the dry spell goes deeper than that.

When Ryan Hall finished third yesterday, he became just the third American to crack the top five since 1988. On the positive side, all three of those efforts have come in the last five years, and Hall likes his chances down the road.

"I'm still learning so much all the time, so I feel this was a really great run for me," the 26-year-old Californian said. "I mean, would I have liked to win? Sure. Was I expecting to win? Yeah. But there's a lot of guys out there who have a legitimate shot that don't win. My day will come and I'll be back."

Hall, one of the few U.S. runners who can claim world-class status, was asked what it's going to take for America to regain its prominence over 26.2 miles. He recounted a trip he and his wife took to Africa last year to illustrate just how far there is to go.

"Just seeing the basic level of fitness over there is so much higher than in the U.S.," Hall said. "We're going for runs, and people who have never run before in Zambia, like these little girls with schoolbooks, are running with my wife and I and we were out running six-minute miles. She was just smiling and laughing the whole time.

"I think for a long time in the states, running has been a form of punishment. I think that's starting to change a little bit.and we kind of need to get back to the days of Bill Rodgers and guys like that. They kind of started the fitness movement (in the 1970s) where, `Hey, this is a good thing.'"

Hall was being honest about the situation. He's also optimistic.

"I think you're starting to see more of that and you're staring to see more enthusiasm with the high school and middle school runners," he said. "It's getting more popular in the U.S. and we need to keep that trend going because we have a lot of work to do to catch up to these guys, but it's possible."

De Reuck finishes eighth

Colleen De Reuck didn't expect to be leading the women's pack, but that's exactly what the 45-year-old mother of two was doing right before Heartbreak Hill, the 20-mile mark.

A native of South Africa who became an American citizen in 2000, De Reuck finished eighth in 2:35:37 to give the United States two runners in the top 10. Kara Goucher was third.

De Reuck led as the pack approached the 18-mile mark, dropped back, then retook the lead two miles later.

"I put in a very hard surge and I dropped off and then they slowed down and I caught them again," De Reuck said. "I thought they would go at it halfway, make a big break and go, and they didn't and I think they were just looking at each other and waiting and it was windy, but everyone was just sitting there and watching each other and not wanting to take the wind."

De Reuck said the support along the course for Goucher, a prerace favorite, was tremendous.

"I definitely noticed that," De Reuck said, "and I think Kara's a big inspiration for the sport and a great role model for all the little girls to look up to."

Rodgers competes on anniversary

Bill Rodgers ran a marathon for the first time in 10 years and the 61-year-old finished in 4:06:49.

"It was a unique experience coming back," Rodgers said. "Ten years ago, I had to drop out of the race. You definitely don't want your last marathon to be a DNF."

It was the 34th anniversary of Rodgers' 1975 victory, his first of four Boston Marathon wins.

Rodgers was fighting a cold and said he started struggling around the 14- to 15-mile mark, but the crowd's support carried him.

"In a lot of ways, it was the most fantastic Boston I've ever run," he said. "There were so many people out on the course."

Van Dyk wins wheelchair

Ernst Van Dyk made it two straight and eight wins overall, the South African capturing the wheelchair race in 1:33:29.

Van Dyk tied former female wheelchair champ Jean Driscoll for most wins here regardless of division, one ahead of the legendary Clarence DeMar. There could be more in store, but he wasn't making any promises.

On the women's side, Japan's Wakako Tsuchida made it three straight.

Strong performance

Ryan and Christy Mae Carrara, the married couple from Hudson profiled in the Sunday Telegram, turned in strong performances. Ryan placed 65th overall in 2:32:10. Christy came across in 2:58:19, good for 54th among women and 1,118th overall. ... Our own Bill Ballou, T&G sports staffer, made it to the finish for a second straight year (3:59:35). Ballou said he passed Rodgers when the woman running beside him said, "I can't believe it, I think we just passed Bill Rodgers!" "It was the biggest thrill of my life," said Ballou, who still made it to the DCU Center for the 6:35 p.m. start of last night's Sharks playoff game, by the way.

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: (1) Above, American Ryan Hall leads the pack out of Hopkinton center. (2) Left, Hall points to the heavens as he approaches the finish line.

PHOTOG: T&G Staff Photos/RICK CINCLAIR