For Des Linden, Boston Marathon champion, running her final professional 26.2-mile race where it began "is indeed going out on top."

Linden, who in 2018 became the first U.S. women's runner to win at Boston in 33 years, announced she is stepping away before Monday's race.

Linden, the 2018 victor, ran her first marathon here nearly 20 years ago. She announced her retirement from professional running Monday, then took on the course one more time.