Steve Kent took a trip to Boston to do some running and he had the experience of a lifetime.

The 41-year-old Kent, a ninth-grade science teacher at Tahoma Junior High, ran in the 113th Boston Marathon April 20.

Kent said he took the advice of fellow Tahoma teacher and track coach, Jeff Brady before leaving.

“He said to go over there and take in the experience,” Kent said. “It’s quite the event and that is the attitude I took.”

Kent said there were more than 26,000 signed up to run and 24,000 who actually ran the 26.2 miles. More than 500,000 spectators watched the runners along the course.

The marathon begins in the town of Hopkinton and winds into the city of Boston.

Kent said caravans of buses took the runners to the start line.

“There were 20 to 30 buses at a time,” Kent said. “It was a pretty neat experience.”

Kent enjoyed the opportunity to run in the marathon and he posted his best time, improving by nearly seven minutes.

The official time for Kent was 3 hours, 1.24 minutes with a mile pace of 6.55.

Kent said he began running marathons about three ago.

“I was a pole vaulter at the University of Michigan,” Kent said. “The most I ever ran was three miles. But I started doing distance to stay fit.

He said Tahoma boys track coach Gary Conner and Brady “got me interested.”

Kent qualified for the Boston Marathon while running the Portland Marathon, “and I decided this year I wanted to do Boston.”

Reach Dennis Box at dbox@maplevalleyreporter.com or (425) 432-1209 ext. 5050.