Caroline Rotich took a break from racing after the 2016 Boston Marathon, where she was unable to finish due to injury. She is now recovered and back in action for this year’s race. At the 2015 Boston Marathon, three women pulled away from the lead pack in the final mile: Caroline Rotich, Mare Dibaba, and Buzunesh Deba. All brought Boston experience to the race and all were seeking their first Boston title. As Deba faded rounding the historic right on Hereford and left on Boylston, Rotich and Dibaba raced side-by-side down the finish stretch. Rotich made a final surge with only yards to go and prevailed over Dibaba by four seconds. Rotich says, “My favorite memory is sprinting for victory on Boyleston Street. That final 400 meters is the best 400 meters of any marathon in the world.” Rotich is past winner of the Las Vegas and Prague Marathons. In 2014, Rotich finished fourth in both the Tokyo and Yokohama Marathons and won the Naples Daily News Half Marathon in 1:09:58. She placed second at the Tufts 10K in Boston, earning a 31:41 personal best. A two-time champion of the New York City Half Marathon, her personal best half marathon is her 2011 win (1:08:52), where she outdistanced New York City Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat and top American Kara Goucher in the final stretch.

Although she was born in Nyahururu, Kenya, Rotich attended high school in Sendai, Japan. She earned a scholarship to Sendai Ikuei Gakuen, which is the same school that the late World Marathon Majors champion Sammy Wanjiru attended. She is fluent in English, Japanese, and Kiswahili. “Running has allowed me to support many family members back home in Kenya,” says Rotich. “I have been able to build a house for my family, create a working farm and provide them with security to live a better life.” Rotich spends time living in the United States and regularly trains with her coach, Ryan Bolton, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Being part of Boston Marathon history drives me to train hard every day for the race that I love,” says Rotich.

“Winning Boston validated years of hard training and racing. That moment was years in the making and remains the most pivotal moment of my career.”