Emmanuel Mutai has competed in five of the six World Marathon Majors, plus the World Championships and Olympics. When he crosses the finish line in Boston, he will be the first professional athlete to have finished all of the Majors. Mutai was the winner of the 2010-11 World Marathon Majors series, won the 2011 London Marathon in a then course record, won the Amsterdam Marathon and has finished runner-up at seven additional marathons, including winning the silver medal at the 2009 Berlin IAAF World Championships Marathon. He recorded a 30K world record en route to a personal best 2:03:13 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon, where he finished second to Dennis Kimetto. A year earlier he also finished runner-up to Dennis Kimetto in Chicago, earning both men sub-2:04 performances. The pair will meet again in Boston this year.

Mutai intended to go to the U.S. for college, but says when he was waiting for the opportunity for a scholarship he started training in Kenya with his uncle, Richard Limo, the former 5,000m World Champion, and realized he could keep up with the group. At that moment he decided to become a full time runner instead of going to school in America. Mutai trains with coach Patrick Sang in Kaptagat in a group that includes Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge. Mutai won the 2011 London Marathon wearing a pair of racing flats that were made for Haile Gebrselassie. “Running has brought me in contact with so many people that I have learned a great deal from,” says Mutai. “Without running in my life I would be somebody else.”

“Whenever I go into a marathon I want to run as fast as possible and be on the podium. For Boston, it’s not any different. I hope I can add another title to my resume.”