Just over 20,000 runners entered the 2003 Boston Marathon, which spans 26 miles and juts through towns including Hopkinton, Wellesley, Newton and Boston. The weather, in comparison to last year’s balmy clouds, ranged from temperatures of 71 degrees, at the starting line, and 58 degrees, for the finish. One of the organizers from the Boston Athletic Association called the day, “as close to perfect as you can get.”

Of those who entered the race, 17,046 crossed the finish line on Boylston Street.

When the women’s leader, Svetlena Zakharova of Russia, came through, Lieutenant Raymond Youngs, a Northeastern alum and former long distance runner of the track and cross-country team, was granted the honor to hold a part of the finish line tape for her.

Assistant Track and Field coach, Rich Hart, called Lt. Youngs a “real quality kid.” Youngs recently returned from active duty in Afghanistan, Hart said.

The 2001 graduate participated and won the Minefield Marathon – Afghanistan’s first ever marathon – with a posted time of 3:01.65 for a measured course of 27 miles.

“Troops from Poland, Germany, Korea, United Kingdom, Slovakia and the United States participated in the event,” stated Northeastern’s athletics Web site, gonu.com.

The Minefield is an atypical marathon because it is in the harshest of conditions with the dust and rough terrain of the country.

“This was different than any other marathon, it was much more mentally challenging,” said Youngs, who currently resides in Deerfield, N.H. “Here, you don’t get to train or eat the right way.”

Youngs held the American East title in 2001, with a time of 31:01.83, for the 10,000-meter outdoor race.

Hart says nobody from NU’s track or cross-country team ran the marathon on Monday. He said because of the intensity of the race, “it would basically ruin your season.”

Supporters lined the streets, some volunteered while others showed up for encouragement.

“I’m out here supporting a friend. She’s trained for months and it looks like it’s all coming together for her,” said a 19-year-old Northeastern student.

Several runners, in fact, were seen rolling across the finish line because their legs gave out on them as close as 10 feet from the end. Another student lining the street said, “This place is a zoo.”

The day went smoothly for the 107th Boston Marathon.

In addition to the female winner, Zakharova, the male winner was Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, of Kenya, with a time of 2:10.11, the Men’s Wheelchair winner was Ernst Van Dyk, of South Africa, with a time of 1:28.32 and the Women’s wheelchair winner was Christina Ripp, of Savoy, Ill., with a time of 1:54.57.