Sharon Cherop of Kenya battled fierce heat to win the women's division at the 2012 Boston Marathon with an unofficial time of 2:31:50.
Temperatures rose as high as 78 degrees, contributing to Cherop's relatively slow winning time, which was the slowest at the Boston Marathon since 1985.
Approximately 4,300 runners withdrew from the race prior to its start because of temperatures expected to reach the mid-80s, and others -- including defending men's champion Geoffrey Mutai -- withdrew during the middle of the event. Race officials even offered a deferment into next year's race for those who felt the heat was too much.
Fellow Kenyan Wesley Korir took the men's division with an unofficial time of 2:12:40, the second-slowest winning time in Boston since 1985. Mutai withdrew after 18 miles with cramps as temperatures exceeded 80 degrees.
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