Thousands of runners will toe the line in Hopkinton for the 2014 Boston Marathon. Many of which return motivated after two bombs cut short last year’s race and claimed the lives of three spectators and injured over 260 others. For some like the elite athletes, their eyes are crossing the finish line in first place and winning the $150,000 by sponsor John Hancock.

Here's a look at the top contenders for Monday's marathon: 

Dennis Kimetto (Kenya)
Personal Record: 2:03:45 (Chicago, 2013)

Two weeks after setting the world record, Wilson Kipsang may have nervously watched the 2013 Chicago Marathon on his television as Kimetto crossed the 23rd mile in 4:32 and cruised to a 2:03:45 victory for a new course record. Kimetto was just shy of the world record by 22 seconds. 

Kimetto may be the favorite heading into Boston. Had it not been for the incident at the 2012 Berlin Marathon, where he slowed up before the finish line and training partner Geoffrey Mutai crossed for the win, he would be undefeated. 

Another reason, why he may be considered the favorite. He wants to run the fastest time over 26.2 miles ever. 

“I want to improve my personal best time. I run well in Tokyo ( 2:06:50) and Chicago (2:03:45) and now the focus is to beat the course record in Boston,” Kimetto told reporters on April 15. “I have discussed it with Geoffrey Mutai, my training mate and I believe the record can go lower than the 2:03.02.”

In 2011, Mutai set the Boston Marathon course record of 2:03:02, which is not a World Record due to the course’s point-to-point measurements and elevation drop. That same year, there was a strong tailwind throughout the course. Cooperation from Mother Nature would also be requested by Kimetto. 

He slowest time is 2:06:50 and he still managed to win the Tokyo Marathon in 2013. Kimetto goes into Boston with a 15th place finish from the Dutch Half-Marathon Championships, where he ran 64:35. 

Billboard Hot 100 Top Single During Last Marathon Victory: Ylvis - What Does The Fox Say?

Lilesa Desisa (Ethiopia)
Personal Record: 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013)

The biggest challenger to Kimetto stealing the show may be the 24-year-old Desisa returning to Boston to defend his crown. 2014 marks only the second year in which he is racing the marathon. In 2013, he managed to run 2:04:45 for the win in his debut at the Dubai Marathon. While contending late in the race, many counted him out due to the imaginable wear in his legs from two marathons in four months yet he pulled away on the final turns. He goes into 2014 with fresher legs and just a victory at the Ras Al Kahimah Half. 

2013 was a phenomenal year for Desisa with wins in Dubai, Boston and a World Championship silver medal in Moscow. A win in Boston would surely continue the good luck from the United Arab Emirates race. 

Having won the race last year, Desisa holds the upperhand on Kimetto in terms of course experience. There’s a degree of aura and mystique that adds to Boston’s unpredictability on the course and Desisa has already got his taste. 

Gebregziabher “Gebre” Gebremariam (Ethiopia)
Personal Record: 2:04:53, Boston 2011

If having course experience is cool, then consider Gebremariam Miles Davis. He has run Boston three times prior to Monday’s race and has reached the podium twice. He holds a personal best of 2:04:53, but that may not be totally indicative of his talent as it derives from that aforementioned windy race in 2011. Since then he ran a best of 2:22:56 in 2012 and 2:10:28 in 2013. He does not own a victory since his debut in New York in 2010. 

The reason why he should not be counted out was that he was one of the three runners that turned on Boylston Street and turned the marathon into a footrace last year. As Desisa pulled away, he finished just behind Kogo by one second. A $35,000 difference in placing. Don’t worry. That’s not the worst loss of prize money. 

Billboard Hot 100 Top Single During Last Marathon Victory: Nov. 6, 2010 P!nk - Raise Your Glass

Micah Kogo (Kenya)
Personal Record: 2:06:56 (Chicago, 2013)

Kogo returns after a second place finish, where he nabbed $75,000 by one second over Gebremariam. (Probably felt as nice as this.) Some may overlook Kogo as he only has the ninth fastest personal best in the field. He is a racer. He showed that again at the Chicago Marathon with a fourth place finish in 2:06:56. We may have not seen his best yet. 

The 2008 10,000-meter Olympic bronze medalist has a 59:49 half-marathon under his belt for 2014. Kogo contended for the win going into the last mile in 2013. He could be a sleeper pick based purely on numbers against the field. 

Billboard Hot 100 Top Single During Last Marathon Victory: He’s never won a marathon in his two 26.2-mile races.

Ryan Hall (America)
Personal Record: 2:04:58, Boston 2011

As I write this preview out on Wednesday night, Ryan Hall is still on track for a comeback and race start on Monday. The fastest US-born marathoner returns after a series of injuries sidelined his career since the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. He withdrew from the 2012 New York City Marathon prior to its cancellation. He withdrew from last year’s Boston Marathon. He withdrew from the 2013 New York City Marathon. He is healthy now and looks strong after spending time training at altitude in Ethiopia and Flagstaff. 

“I basically audited my training and eliminated a lot of junk mileage that wasn’t really helping me and leading to injuries,” Hall told Pro-Form. “With that said, injuries are something that pop up from time to time even when you take really good care of yourself and undertrain. So I’ve had to learn to not beat myself up too much when injuries do come.”

It would be unfair to expect Hall to immediately return to his old form, but he has surprised us on the Boston Marathon course before. Predictions for his time could range from 2:06 to 2:10, but one factor that is certain is that he is hungry for his return. Keep in mind, he has never finished worst than fourth. (3rd in 2009, 4th in 2010 & 2011)

Billboard Hot 100 Top Single During Last Marathon Victory: Nov. 3, 2007 Soulja Boy - Crank That.
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The Other Americans

While Hall could contend with some of the Africans for the win, he will have a few other Americans chasing him for the title of top American. 

Meb Keflezighi is coming off a 10th place finish at the NYC Half, where he ran 62:53. There is no tougher American marathoner than this former New York City Marathon Champion. He withdrew from last year’s Boston Marathon due to injury, but made sure to dedicate his run at the 2013 New York City Marathon to the victims of the bombings. 

Chris Chavez is a staff writer for Flotrack. He once beat Joey Fatone of NSYNC in a half-marathon. Feel free to to reach him with any questions, comments, or feedback on Twitter or by email.