I'm Just Saying: Crystal Lake marathoner Roger Reiling

More than 25,000 runners competed in the Boston Marathon on Monday, including more than a dozen from McHenry County. Of the finishers from Crystal Lake, Roger Reiling crossed the finish line first with a time of 3:22:58. (Huntley’s Mark Bowman, 28, was the fastest finisher in the area with a time of 2:46:50 and Cary’s Amy Campbell, 27, was the fastest female with a time of 3:06:11.) The 47-year-old Reiling, a long-time runner, was competing in only his second marathon. He qualified for the 119-year-old race at the Wisconsin Marathon in Kenosha.

It was incredible. I had never seen so many people. It's a state holiday out there. From the first mile to the last, people are on both sides of the road. The crowds get bigger the closer you get to Boston. And they get louder the closer you get there. It was just absolutely incredible. I had never experienced that.

This year it was raining for most of the race and it was pretty chilly. That made a huge difference, people just kind of cheering on both sides of the street. The crowds just kept getting bigger.

I just wanted to enjoy it. Just getting there was tough. I wanted to finish and I wanted to enjoy it.

There's a hill that comes in late in the race that's called Heartbreak Hill. I would say that hill is appropriately named. I was really glad when it was over. The crowds were great. They kept saying, "You got this" and "You made it."

For me, I felt like I was part of something really, really big. The history that goes with that race and the support that the city puts into it. I think I heard a stat that they have close to 9,000 volunteers. You certainly see it and you feel it. Everyone is very welcoming out there. If you were a runner, they would wish you well.

I ran fast enough to qualify to come back. I guess I got a few months to kind of think about it.

I was pretty sore afterward. I'm not going to lie to you. Ibuprofen is a great invention.

• I'm Just Saying is a weekly feature with reporter Mike DeFabo. If you have suggestions, contact Mike at mdefabo@shawmedia.com or on Twitter @MikeDeFabo.