Desiree LindenHome: Rochester Hills, Michigan, USABib: #F8 Pronunciation: Dez-uh-rau Lin-den Birthdate: 26 July 1983 Personal Best: 2:22:38 (Boston, 2011) |
| 29Sep13 | BMW Berlin Marathon | 5th | 2:29:15 |
| 05Aug12 | London Olympic Games Marathon | DNF | |
| 18Apr11 | Boston Marathon | 2nd | 2:22:38 |
| 10Oct10 | Bank of America Chicago Marathon | 4th | 2:26:20 |
| 23Aug09 | IAAF World Championships, Berlin | 11th | 2:27:53 |
| 12Oct08 | Bank of America Chicago Marathon | 5th | 2:31:33 |
| 16Apr07 | Boston Marathon | 18th | 2:44:56 |
| 20Apr08 | U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Boston | 13th | 2:37:50 |
Desiree (nee´Davila) Linden returns to Boston ready to race and seek the title. In 2011 she narrowly missed winning by two seconds, as she set a 2:22:38 American course record. In 2012 Linden finished second at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, but was unable to finish the marathon at the London Olympic Games due to injury. She has been patient with her recovery and most recently placed fifth at the 2013 Berlin Marathon. Also in 2013, she finished runner up at the U.S. National Half Marathon Championships and recently ran a 1:10:51 at the Okayama Half Marathon.
“It is an honor to be included in the 2014 John Hancock elite field,” says Linden. “The Boston Marathon was home for both my debut and my breakthrough marathon. It seems to be an atmosphere that brings out the best in me, and I'm looking forward to being back out there in 2014. In light of the tragic events in 2013—and I'm not unique in this respect—the Boston Marathon brought out the best in so many runners on the course that day as they showed both courage and compassion. I look forward to sharing the road and the journey in 2014 as we run together from Hopkinton to Boston and show the strength and resilience of the running community.”
A member of four U.S. World Championship teams, Linden has participate in the 3,000m indoors (ninth), the 20K, the half marathon and the marathon (tenth) for the U.S.
Linden grew up in Chula Vista, California, and was an All American on the track for Arizona State University where she graduated with a BA in Religious Studies and a BS in Psychology. Linden decided to train in Kenya this year for the Boston Marathon and is training with Canadian national record holder Lanni Marchant. She is married to professional athlete Ryan Linden and the couple lives in Michigan where they train with Kevin and Keith Hanson on the Brooks-Hanson Team. Linden enjoys reading, drinking good coffee, and writing.
“I look forward to sharing the road and the journey in 2014 as we run together from Hopkinton to Boston and show the strength and resilience of the running community.”