Silvio Guerra
Home: Quito, Ecuador
Age: 32
Personal best: 2:09:49 (Chicago, 1997)

This is Guerra's third Boston run. He was with the leaders last year through Wellesley before dropping back to finish 10th. He was second in his first run in Boston (1999), when he broke from the pack at the 16-mile mark and led for 6 miles before being passed by Joseph Chebet. He has excelled at several distances, holding the Ecuadorian national record in the 5,000 meters, 10,000, and marathon. Guerra comes from a family of five others and five sisters. Two of his sisters and three brothers run competitively, and his mother runs for fun.