With fall foliage replacing the blooming daffodils, the pandemic-delayed Boston Marathon returned Monday after a 30-month absence.

The event moved from its traditional spring date for the first time in its 125-year history and just 18,000 runners participated, down from more than 30,000 in pre-pandemic times.

But a couple things were the same. -

Benson Kipruto along with Diana Kipyogei completed a Kenyan sweep to finish first, the eighth since 2000 at the world's oldest and most prestigious 26.2 miler.

And even though organizers put runners through COVID-19 protocols, and asked spectators to keep their distance, there were still sizable crowds in spots from Hopkinton to Boston after an early drizzle cleared and temperatures rose into the 60's.