Water, running easy were keys for Norton

Giles Norton of Orono wasn’t really sure what to expect when he lined up for the start of the 97th Boston Marathon at noon Monday in Hopkinton, Mass.

With temperatures fast approaching the 70-degree mark, the one thing Norton was sure of was to take it easy and drink plenty of water.

He did both and finished as the top male runner from Maine, running a personal best time of two hours, 36 minutes, 54 seconds.

“I was very cautious. It was the sort of day where the cautious runners had it easier,” said Norton, a native of Great Britain. “A lot of people were having problems. I felt strong. It went as well as I would have hoped. I just made sure I drank at every water station.”

Norton was 102nd overall and 94th amongst all men. The only native Mainer ahead of Norton was world class runner Joan Benoit Samuelson of Freeport, who was the sixth woman to cross the finish line.

A total of 91 Maine runners had registered for the 26.2-mile race. According to the Boston Athletic Association, 75 Mainers completed the course.