John Riordan: A quieter Boston marathon still makes a statement

It had been billed as a renaissance day in Boston where the 125th chapter of their beloved marathon went off without a hitch and with plenty of the joy that has always defined it.

CATHARTIC AFFAIR: A runner crosses the finish line during the 125th Boston Marathon on Monday, a day that was as close to perfect as it could possibly get in that sports-obsessed town. Picture: Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images

Up until they convened at the startline of Monday’s Boston Marathon, Brian Sugrue hadn’t seen Kevin McCarthy in almost three years.

Over a decade ago, the Dublin natives struck up an expat friendship, casting aside their Blackrock College/Gonzaga College rivalry and developing a shared dedication to long distance running. Like their fellow Bostonians, they had been deprived of this world famous occasion for two and a half years.