Heat a danger for runners at 2012 Boston Marathon

BOSTON (WWLP-AP) - Temperatures that rose into the 80s slowed the field at the 116th Boston Marathon and may have convinced as many as 4,300 runners to sit this one out.

Defending champion Geoffrey Mutai dropped out at the 30-kilometer mark due to cramping, one year after he won the race with the fastest marathon in world history. Mutai, who also won the New York Marathon in the fall, was hoping to win and earn a place on the Kenyan Olympic team.

A total of 22,426 runners started Monday's race in Hopkinton in temperatures expected to be as high as 84 by the time the last of them finish their 26.2-mile trek to Boston's Back Bay. That's about 84 percent of the registered field of almost 27,000, with many of the no-shows expected to take race organizers up on their offer for a deferment into next year's race.

22News reporter Amelia Sapowsky is in Boston for running's most prestigious race, and will have updates on air and on WWLP.com.