"I'm just so happy I can run again," said Pippig, a three-time winner of the Boston Marathon. "So many people said 'hello' and 'welcome back.' It was actually kind of fun."

Pippig finished the James Joyce Ramble 10K in 34 minutes, 33 seconds, more than a minute behind the winner. Konga set a course record in the women's division in 33:10.

"This is my first time to run this course," Konga said. "It's a good course. I liked it."

Simion Karori of Kenya won the men's division in 30:22 in a 6.2-mile race featuring some 3,000 runners in a race offering $30,000 in prize money.

Four years ago, Pippig fought severe menstrual problems to rally to a Boston Marathon victory in one of the most riveting moments of her career.

Two years later, the German runner tested positive for high levels of testosterone and was banned from racing for two years.

Pippig lives most of the year in Boulder, Colo. At the time of her positive drug test in 1998, Pippig was still a German citizen. German track authorities said there was no doubt she was using performance-enhancing drugs.

The runner appealed, contending the testosterone abnormalities were caused by a medicine for a viral infection. Her explanation was rejected.

She has since become a U.S. citizen. The switch wasn't in time to qualify for the Sydney Olympics this year, but she isn't ruling out a run in next year's Boston Marathon.

"I could imagine that I could run it, but I leave it up to my manager," Pippig said Sunday. "Obviously, it's always nice to run in Boston. It's a fun marathon."

Sustaining her through the two-year ban was her passion for her sport.

"What keeps me always going is I love running. It's part of my identity. It's so easy, you're out in nature. You stay in as good shape as you can," she said.

The James Joyce theme was conceived by founder Martin Hanley 17 years ago. He wanted an Irish-literary gimmick and was reading "Finnegans Wake" at the time.

The race features actors in period costumes reciting passages from Joyce's modernist masterpieces.

All proceeds from the race are donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.