Meet Desiree Linden, the Chula Vista native to win Boston Marathon, internet

San Diego’s South Bay region got a major shout out over the internet Monday when one of its own, Chula Vista-native Desiree Linden, became the first U.S. woman in 33 years to win the elite Boston Marathon race.

Linden, 34, finished the 26.2-mile race at 2 hours, 39 minutes and 54 seconds. She was one of seven Americans in the top 10 finishers in one of the most competitive and oldest marathons in the world. But it was her connection to San Diego that drew praise from locals including Reps. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, and Susan Davis, D-San Diego.

Linden is no stranger to athletic success and she’s come a long way since her days as a Hilltop High School student in Chula Vista.

She now lives in Michigan with her husband. Here’s what to know about the American champion:

Hilltop High graduate, class of 2001

Linden attended Chula Vista’s Hilltop High School where she she played soccer and was part of the track and cross country team, according to her USA Track and Field bio. As a high school freshman, Linden quickly gained a reputation as a fast runner who broke the 5-minute mile speed.

While in high school, she was known by her maiden name, Davila, the Times of San Diego reported, and graduated in 2001.

A two-time Olympian

Linden wasn’t always the fastest runner in the race. Her Olympic debut at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio was marked by her seventh-place finish, the Detroit Free Press reported. She had previously competed in the 2012 Olympics in London but did not finish that race due to an injury.

Running the Boston Marathon over the years

Linden made her debut at the Boston Marathon in 2007, according to her Team USA bio, where she finished in 19th place at a time of 2 hours, 44 minutes and 56 seconds.

In 2011, she came in second place — just two seconds behind first-place finisher Caroline Kilel from Kenya — at a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 38 seconds.

After Monday’s race, Linden showed a sense of humor by posting a photo of herself at the Boston Marathon with the caption: “6th time’s a charm. Keep showing up!”

How Linden prepares, trains for a marathon

Linden has documented her training on social media, but in an interview with Sports Illustrated she said she prepares for a marathon by running as many as 100 miles per week. She said she eases into it by starting at 70 miles per week and then adding more miles to her running.

When preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Linden said she trained on a treadmill for an hour at 89 degrees and 75 percent humidity — conditions that simulated the weather in Brazil over the summer. She even posted a video on her Instagram account.

Before Linden’s first-place finish on Monday, the last U.S. woman to win the Boston Marathon was Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985.

Congratulations, Des!

Correction: This story previously incorrectly stated that Linden was the first U.S. woman in 40 years to win the New York City Marathon in 2017. That was Shalane Flanagan.