One of the largest contingents ever to come from Hawai'i will make the pilgrimage to the 108th running of this event on April 19. From 29-year-old Air Force Captain Robert Dickie to 71-year-old Mollie Chang, Hawai'i will be represented with 38 registered entrants.

Besides its history, the Boston Marathon's qualifying standards contribute to its prestige.

Everyone needs to qualify with a certain time standard according to one's age. These times need to be run in any certified marathon within 17 months prior to Boston. For instance, 18- to 34-year-old males need to qualify with a time of 3:10:59 while women 80 years old and over must qualify with a 5:30:59.

First-time participant David Eagar of Mililani, 44, considers participation alone a success.

"Having to qualify makes it a great goal for the everyday runner."

Fulfilling a dream

Waimanalo resident Tim Noonan, 34, who grew up in the Boston area, says, "It has been a dream to qualify and run the Boston Marathon since I was 7 or 8 years old. I saw every marathon in person after that until I moved away at age 18."

Noonan, an engineer for D.L. Adams Associates, Ltd., will finally get his chance after he and his wife Kelly qualified in October's Chicago Marathon.

Others have not thought about it as long as Noonan.

Jason Pang, 32 of Honolulu has had a burning desire to run it since 2002.

"After watching my wife, Mina, and other friends complete the event, I made a commitment to return one day as a participant."

Former Hawai'i Pacific University cross-country runner Sayuri Kusutani qualified in December's Honolulu Marathon.

"I watched a video of the Boston Marathon one day after I ran the Honolulu Marathon and it inspired me. After hesitating for one month, I finally made up my mind to go to Boston."

Goals on race day

Although everyone is happy to make it to Boston, goals on race day will be different.

Two of Hawai'i's elite runners, Dickie and Kusutani, hope to be competitive within their age groups and the Noonans hope to set personal records.

Dickie finished 23rd overall last year with a time of 2:30:21. He hopes to improve upon that.

"I lacked the strength-type training, and paid for it in the last 10k of the race. I am working completely different this year and hope that it will pay off. It has been hard with my work and traveling, but I think I have gotten in enough quality sessions for me to be competitive with myself from last year."

Kusutani said, "if the weather is fine, I would like to run a 2:45." A time like that could put the 45-year-old in the top three of her age group.

The Noonans have set some high goals, too. Both hope to run even faster than they did in Chicago, considered by many to be the fastest course in the United States.

Others have decided to concentrate on soaking up the experience and atmosphere.

Honolulu attorney U'I Pauole says, "It'll be a nice change of pace to run in cooler weather. I heard there are lots of fans all along the way, so I'm really looking forward to that support."

Dr. Paula Vanderford had been trying to find time in her busy schedule to run Boston for the past four years. She will be there in April and hopes to "finish uninjured, run smart, and to have fun."

No one could be happier than Pang, who squeezed under the qualifying time by a mere eight seconds at the Las Vegas Marathon in February. His goal is "to finish with an appetite for some beer and clam chowder."

There is something magical about the Boston Marathon that gives people the desire to come back again.

"I ran it last year and it exceeded every expectation I had for it," Dickie said. "The experience was amazing."

Chang ran her first and heretofore only Boston 14 years ago. Since then, "Boston has been on my mind each time I enter the Honolulu Marathon."

The lasting impressions the Boston Marathon leaves on participants are what bring them back.