Silvio Guerra
Home: Quito, Ecuador
Age: 33
Personal best: 2:09:49 (Chicago, 1997)

Twice runner-up in Boston, Guerra is after the crown this year. Last year, he stayed with the lead pack until breaking away with front-runners Lee and Chelang'a in the closing miles. Unable to match Lee in his final surge, Guerra finished second, 24 seconds behind in 2:10:07. Demonstrating his consistency, he topped off the year with a 2:10:36 fourth at the 2001 New York City Marathon. Guerra was also second at Boston in 1999 (2:10:19), breaking from the lead pack at 16 miles and leading for the next 6 until Kenyan Joseph Chebet caught him and closed for the win. At Boston 2000, Guerra was in the mix through Wellesley before dropping back to finish 10th. Guerra is recognized for his compact and powerful stature, and he is Ecuador's national record holder in the marathon, 10K, and 5K.