By the time the middle-of-the-packers started hitting Washington Square in Brookline today, you could tell an awful lot of people were running on sheer willpower alone.

John Daley stationed himself at Cleveland Circle for these great shots.

Kurt in Boston posts photos of the leaders at Heartbreak Hill (more Heartbreak Hill photos).

Helga wondered why the hell one reporter was trying to interview runners at Heartbreak Hill:

... The runners he tagged seemed pretty easy going. Were they too tired to fight him? In this position, I don't know if I could handle the questioning. I'd either be rude ("Why are you talking to me? Can't you see I'm trying to run a marathon, you idiot?") or so tired that I'd lose control of myself and burst into tears. Either way, not pretty. ...

Michael Femia posts photos from Brookline. Il Filosopho also snaps Brookline pics.

Sandy posts photos from Back Bay.

Miss Von Schtoop: Running a marathon is something I have no plans to ever try.

These women cracked me up. Whenever they saw a male runner they thought was hot they'd yell "I like!" in Borat-ese: