U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Will Put Their Fastball to the Test

Amy Cragg and Desiree Linden (pictured) along with Shalane Flanagan and Meb Keflezighi will be in Boston for the Boston Marathon.

OK, so they can run marathons really fast. But can they pitch?

We will find out on April 16. That’s when Amy Cragg, Desiree Linden, Shalane Flanagan and Meb Keflezighi will all throw out the first pitch at the Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park. The Boston Marathon is two days later.

The four were named Elite Athlete Ambassadors for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Coming off a successful day at the U.S. Olympic Trials and with the 2016 Rio Olympics this summer, none are running the Boston Marathon this year. Instead, they will join a big-name list of ambassadors that includes Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Bobbi Gibb, Greg Meyer, Ryan Hall, Uta Pippig and more. The ambassadors will be in Boston for marathon weekend, attending media and community events, appearing at the expo and doing meet and greets.

The news of the first pitch was met with excitement from Flanagan and Linden, who chattered about it on social media Thursday.

Terrified that this wonderful dream may actually come true!! @HastyHastings @des_linden time to start practicing https://t.co/gVmgy6LEC6

— Shalane Flanagan (@ShalaneFlanagan) March 24, 2016

So good, SO Good, SO … *updates resume* Starting pitcher for the Boston @RedSox https://t.co/kbzFaMXudl — des_linden (@des_linden) March 24, 2016

Keflezighi is no stranger to throwing out the first pitch. He threw out the first pitch just a few days after winning the 2014 Boston Marathon at Fenway Park, and has thrown the first pitch at games in Los Angeles, San Diego and St. Louis as well.

Here’s his Fenway Park first pitch from 2014:

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