Boston Marathon gets underway in ideal conditions

BOSTON — Downtown Boston was bustling early Monday with crisp, clear weather for the 2016 Boston Marathon.

Runners were stretching and jogging the city sidewalks about two hours before the official start of the 120th running on the long, historic route from Hopkinton east to the final stretch down Boylston Street.

After a cold and rainy race day last year, participants and spectators were greeted with ideal weather (55 degrees) as the sun poked through the skyline.

Traffic thinned as the city prepared to close down the streets near the finish and clear the way for more than 30,000 participants.

Law enforcement was also a visible presence on every block, keeping close watch throughout the city for any signs of security threats as thousands of fans made their way toward the finish line.

Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia was running for his third men's title in four years.

Defending champion Caroline Rotich of Kenya was also back in the women's field. The women's event was celebrating a milestone this year, marking the 50th anniversary of Bobbi Gibb's historic run as the first woman to run the Boston Marathon.