More than 40 of Hawai'i's finest runners will "do Boston" Monday — seeking to run swiftly, of course, but also to experience the mystique of this 112-year-old event.

It's the Boston Marathon, run through eight towns and cities stretching 26.2 miles from rural Hopkinton, Mass., to historic Copley Square in downtown Boston.

Crowds along the way are estimated to total more than 500,000. Monday is Patriot's Day in Massachusetts, a state holiday.

Among all marathons, only Boston requires qualifying times to enter, based on age and gender. That and Boston's senior status among all world marathons give this event unmatched prestige.

The Hawai'i contingent includes Boston veterans as well as first-timers, ranging in age from 23 to 64.

AMONG THE VETERANS:

David Eagar, a 48-year-old construction company owner, will be doing his fifth Boston in five years. A "PR" (personal record) seems a good prospect since he did a PR last October in Chicago of 2 hours, 51 minutes, 52 seconds in 88-degree heat.

Boston's pull is evident in that of Eagar's eight marathons, he did half of them there. He didn't get serious about running until 2001 after his weight ballooned to 197. He now weighs 137.

To Eagar, part of Boston's appeal is that "each year is unique." In 2004, his first year, it was 87 degrees. Two years later "it was the best weather in years, low 50s, hardly any wind. Then in 2007 Boston had the worst nor'easter in 30 years." His Boston best: 2:53 in 2005.

Harald Ebeling, 44, a University of Hawai'i astronomer, will be making his fourth straight trip to Boston.

"Last year, I was injured so couldn't run, but I went anyway, forced to watch."

In 2006, Ebeling did 2:57 in Boston, a PR for Boston or any of his 11 other marathons. "I have run two of the other 'marathon majors' (New York City and Berlin), but they don't hold a candle to Boston. ... Nothing beats the adrenaline rush and crowd support that is Boston."

Amy Bennett, 30, returning to Boston after doing it in 2006 (time: 3:19), says of the event: "I loved it so much I had to get back. The passion of the participants, the encouragement of the crowd, and the challenge of the course — they make for a great adventure."

In 2007, she was active in Big Island distance racing, doing the Volcano Marathon and Kona Ironman.

She is employed as a ship superintendent for BAE Systems Hawaii Shipyards at the Naval Station Pearl Harbor and lives in Kane'ohe.

Joseph Allen, 47, an IT specialist at Pearl Harbor doing his third straight Boston, is another big-time weight loser — 75 pounds since he started running five years ago. He did 3:36 in Boston last year and a PR of 3:28 five months later in Portland.

Why do Boston again? For one thing, "the crowd support has to be experienced to be believed," he says. "Also, I have family in the Northeast."

Michael Kasamoto, 59, a self-employed structural engineer, is doing his third straight Boston (and eighth marathon overall).

He did his PR of 3:31 in 2005 at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn., his first Boston qualifier. He's enough of a Boston veteran that he already has made post-race plans — "to go to Chinatown for dim sum."

In age, Hawai'i's senior runner will be John Ishikawa, 64, doing his second Boston. His obvious goal will be to beat 4 hours.

In the 2006 Chicago Marathon he did 4 hours and 53 seconds, just qualifying him for Boston. (Boston gives a 59-second "grace" over the 4 hours required for men 60-64.) Then in Boston 2007 he did 4 hours and 2 seconds.

AMONG THE BOSTON FIRST-TIMERS:

Lisa Castle, 23, is a San Antonio, Texas, native who transferred to Chaminade University in 2006 and graduated last December.

She did 3:24 in the 2006 Honolulu Marathon and used that time as her Boston qualifier.

Her sports history is intriguing. As an early teen, "swimming was my life." But she developed osteoporosis in her lower back, then sports-induced asthma.

So she switched to running, first the one-mile run, then to cross country, "catching the distance bug." But it wasn't until Chaminade that she really caught fire. "Running for such a supportive and caring coach (James Oshiro), and in such a lovely place, allowed my joy in running to return."

Belinda "Bel" Wray, 30, another former Texan who now resides in Wahiawa, an information systems technician in the Navy.

She had run a bit in high school and also in the Navy to build fitness. Then last year she took up running more seriously, "to keep busy and make new friends and stay out of trouble."

She entered the Mid-Pacific Road Runners' Marathon Readiness Series and "realized I wasn't that bad of a runner." In fact, she went on to do a 3:26 in the 2007 Honolulu Marathon.

Maureen "Mo" O'Connell, 45, assistant features editor at The Honolulu Advertiser. She did 3:51 in Honolulu last December —beating the Boston-qualifying time by 9 minutes.

At first she thought she would delay Boston for a year, to allow a longer training period. But around Christmas she ran into one of Hawai'i's top women runners and coaches, who encouraged her "to seize the opportunity." O'Connell listened, and is headed to Boston with her husband, Larry, and their 6-year-old son, Cole.

"They'll be at the finish line, but I believe Cole is more interested in going to see the Red Sox play," she says. (They have tickets for the next day's game, against the Los Angeles Angels.)

Laurie Sloan, 56, a commercial property manager for Monroe & Friedlander, tells this story: In 2006 she did the Kona Ironman but was disappointed with her marathon time. Seeking to redeem herself, she entered the 2006 Ho-nolulu Marathon as a late entry. "I didn't think about qualifying for Boston, I just ran as hard as I could. And I made it!" (Her 4 hours, 11 minutes easily beat the qualifying time of 4:15.)

Nita Patel, 41, of Mililani tells that in 2006, having done three Honolulu Marathons, she decided to shoot for Boston as a 40th birthday present to herself. Sadly, her mother died while visiting for that birthday.

"I was heartbroken and devastated. But I kept running and I really think that kept me in a healthy state of mind. I missed my goal by less than 1 minute in 2006. So 2007 was it. I had to do it, for my mother. And I did! (Time: 3:42, a PR.)

Patel is pharmacist at Waipahu Town Pharmacy. She was born and reared in Zambia, Central Africa, and finished high school in London.

Jeffrey Fong, 35. Reaching age 35 made the difference. For men 18 to 34, Boston's qualifying standard is 3:10. "I came close to that several times but always bonked out in the last few miles."

Encouraged by running buddies Les Omura, Johnny Landeza and Ray Woo, Fong — in his new age bracket (35-39) — did the Portland (Ore.) Marathon last October. "I finally got the monkey off my back with a 3:13:26."

Fong is an archaeologist/osteologist for Cultural Surveys Hawaii.

Jason Florimonte, 34, a family medicine doctor in Kailua, had no trouble qualifying once he got into running. Last year he did 3:03 in the Kona Marathon (second overall finisher and for him a PR) and 3:05 in Honolulu.

He says he actually is following in the footsteps of his wife Jerylin, who was an all-state runner at Punahou School and an All-American at their college, Washington University in St. Louis. But it wasn't until they moved here in 2003 that he got serious about running, "to lose weight (40-plus pounds) and apply focus in my days."

"I train during lunch breaks, usually from Castle Hospital where I admit patients. ... Many patients notice. Maybe it will inspire them to exercise as well."

FORMER RESIDENTS

On the list of Hawai'i entrants but no longer a Hawai'i resident is Julie Doheney, 27, overall women's winner of last year's Maui Marathon. She has moved back to the Boston area, her original home.

David Carlsson, 43, a listed entrant from Honolulu, will have to skip Boston due to injury. He had hoped to match or beat bicycling great Lance Armstrong, who will be doing his first Boston after running two New York City Marathons (the latter in 2:46:43).

Kit Smith is a retired financial writer for The Advertiser and a three-time finisher of the Boston Marathon.