Masters Women Wheelchair: Boyar owns the division solo

• Ilene Boyar finished in 5:16:01 (12:03/mi avg), claiming 1st in the Masters Women wheelchair field.
• Boyar posted the 3rd-fastest women's split on the 15K→21K stretch — a standout segment in a field of stronger competition.
• She held 3rd among all women for the majority of the race, slipping briefly to 4th before reclaiming that position and holding it to the finish.

The Masters Women wheelchair field at the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon came down to one name: Ilene Boyar of Norwalk, CT, who crossed the line in 5:16:01 — the sole finisher in her field, making her the undisputed champion of the Masters Women wheelchair race across the iconic 26.2-mile loop through Washington D.C. and Arlington, VA.

Boyar's race was no ceremonial roll. Competing against the broader women's wheelchair field, she was a genuine factor in the overall women's standings from early on. She settled into 3rd among all women through the opening miles, dipped briefly to 4th in the middle stages, then reasserted herself — reclaiming 3rd and holding it all the way through the finish. That resilience in the middle of the race tells a real story.

Her best segment came between 15K and 21K, where she put up the 3rd-fastest women's split on that stretch — a meaningful burst of speed in the heart of the race, right when others can fade. At 12:03 per mile for 26.2 miles in cold, damp conditions — 43°F and 89% humidity — Boyar kept her effort consistent and her position secure. In a race known as 'The People's Marathon,' she was very much the Masters Women wheelchair story.