Mary  Wacera who finished third at last year’s Boston Marathon returns to the streets of the US city next month with a great hope of doing better.

 Wacera who will be making her third appearance in the Boston event said she will not limit herself to focusing on either a win or improving on her personal best time.

She said she is not so focused on improving her best time, but if it (personal best) happens then she will be happy

 “My focus going to the race is doing the best I can, I don’t have any target but at the same time, I am not limiting myself. I know it will be a different race from last (year’s) but will leave everything out there,” she said when asked what her target will be in the race.

The women’s race is star-studded with top world marathoners including Olympic and New York City marathons champion Peres Jepchirchir and London marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei in the start list. Seven of those in the lineup have run under 2:20.

Wacera finished third in the race, which was her third marathon, in personal best of 2:25:20 behind the winner Diana Kipyogei and Edina Kiplagat in second place.

Last year, the  marathon was held in October due to Covid-19 effects instead of its traditional month of April. But from this year it has reverted to April.

 “Training has been going on well. I will go out there to race, it is not a race you can predict or target a certain time,” she added.

Another Nyahururu based career road runner to be in the race is Monica Ngige who finished fourth in Boston last year in 2:25:32, which was her debut in a full marathon.

 Wacera and Ngige have been training separately but occasionally teaming up for speed work at the Nyahururu stadium.

At last year’s Boston, the duo displayed great teamwork and promised to do the same again next month.

 “Hopefully, we will push together and help each other out there,” Wacera said.

After finishing fourth in Boston, without a contract from any sportswear, Ngige was lucky to land a contract with American sportswear manufacturer Nike, a deal she described as ‘good’.

She says her training is good after overcoming an injury in December.