Dozens of Maritimers run 126th Boston Marathon Monday

Monday was filled with firsts as dozens of Maritimers ran the 126th Boston Marathon.

When Jarvis Googoo lined up at the start line in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the Mi'kmaq runner became the first from We'koqma’q First Nation in Cape Breton to compete in the race.

Before Googoo left for Beantown, people lined the streets and created a send off video to share their pride.

"You're going to make Waycobah proud, and you're going to make all other First Nations communities proud," said one supporter in the video, which Googoo shared on his Twitter page.

Nova Scotia's Halifax Road Hammers had 42 club members run Boston - 42 runners for the 42.2 kilometres that make up the race.

The fastest was Alex Neuffer from Halifax, who completed the race in two hours and 21 minutes. He says there was a strong East Coast presence in the crowd.

"It was fun, honestly. It was my first Boston," said Neuffer, a former cross-country star with St. Francis Xavier University.

"It was awesome to have the support of other people. Then they all brought their own families. So there was tons of people on the course. I heard my name numerous times. That's definitely motivating, when you're on the course and at least somebody knows your name," he said.

Jamie Fitzgerald of Glace Bay achieved his goal of running three hours in his first Boston marathon.

"It was something else. Feeling pretty good about how I did," Fitzgerald said. "That was the first big race that I've ever done, and it was everything that I thought it would be. It was unbelievable."

Fitzgerald's father died two years ago. He said he thought of his dad often during the race in Boston Monday.

"I'm sure he was there today. I felt good all day. That wasn't the case for my first two marathons. So I'm sure he played a part in it."

Back in We'koqma’q, the congratulations came in quickly when Jarvis Googoo crossed the finish line in three hours 15 minutes.

It was the first time the Boston Marathon returned to its traditional Patriots Day date since 2019.