[2] All 50 US states and all Canadian provinces were represented at the marathon, as well as several U.S territories, including American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands.

[5] On a cold and rainy day, turnout for the 2015 Boston Marathon was lighter than the one million spectators race officials had planned for.

[7] Security was described as "visible but not intrusive" as local and state police combined forces with National Guard soldiers to keep things safe.

[6] The men's race got off to a moderately paced start with Dathan Ritzenhein and defending champion Meb Keflezighi of the United States heading a ten-man lead pack.

[7] Keflezighi briefly took the lead, but fell well off the pace when he choked on some water around the 22-mile (35 km) mark and vomited five times as a result.

[7] Desisa, who had been among the lead group all race, finished with a time of 2:09:17, beating fellow countryman Yemane Adhane Tsegay by 31 seconds.

"[6] Desisa's win by 31 seconds was the largest margin of victory since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won by 1:18 in the 2008 Boston Marathon.

[8] Desiree Linden of the United States placed fourth, thirty seconds back of Deba, after leading for much of the race.

[6] Earlier in the day, Marcel Hug of Switzerland won his first title in the men's wheelchair race, beating South Africa's Ernst Van Dyk who was looking for an eleventh Boston Marathon crown.