It was the coldest Boston Marathon to date with rain and brisk winds, however Jeremy Provence, head track coach at the University of the Ozarks finished the marathon in two hours and 41 munutes. 5NEWS reporter Beraiah Baker spoke with Provence via Facetime after the big race.
He said he trained for more than six months. He ran about 1,200 miles to prepare.It was his first time to take part in the Boston Marathon running along side 30,000 eager runners.
"It was definitely a grind to get here and I'm very, very happy to be able to take part in the Boston Marathon," Provence said.
Provence was 14 minutes shy of the Top 10 times. He said he was a few minutes shy of his personal goal
A watch party was hosted where family, friends, colleagues and students cheered in his honor.
A statement was released in his honor: "The entire University of the Ozarks community is proud of him. He represented the whole state of Arkansas well."
He said this was an experience he'll never forget and he hopes this will set an example for others.