Boston Marathon
From WikiRun
| Boston Marathon | |
| Location | Hopkinton, MA |
|---|---|
| Website | www.baa.org |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Race Director | Guy L. Morse, Executive Director; David McGillivray , Race Director |
The Boston Marathon is the grandfather of all marathons. It is held on a point-to-point course between Hopkinton and Boston, MA. It is one of the few marathons to require a qualifying time as a prerequisite to entering.
Starting in 2009, the BAA will conduct an invitational mile and a 5K on the day before the marathon. The mile will include heats for professional men and women, plus mile races for scholasticgirls and boys from Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston. The 5K is open to the general public with a field limited to 4,000.[1]
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Course Map
Notable landmarks along the course include Wellesley College (20K), Heartbreak hill (28K), Boston College (34K) and the Citgo Sign (40K).
Event History
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon. It was first held on Patriots' Day, April 19, 1897. Originally called the Boston Athletic Association Road Race, it was inspired by the inclusion of the marathon in the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. [1] It continued to be held each year on April 19, until the Massachusetts legislature in 1969 changed the observance of Patriots' Day to the third Monday in April.
It is organized by the Boston Athletic Association, and for many decades it was administered by Jock Semple and Will Cloney. Roberta Gibb was the first woman to finish the marathon in 1966, athough women were not allowed to officially enter the race until 1972.
The runner which most dominated the history of the marathon was John A. Kelley who ran 61 times from 1931 until 1992, finishing 58 of those races and winning in 1935 and 1945.
Interesting Facts
In 1918, a military relay was run instead due to World War I.[1]
The original course was only 24.5 miles long, and was not changed to the standard distance of 26 miles, 385 yards until 1927. [1]
Past champions
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Marathons: Boston Marathon--World's Oldest Annual Marathon." The World Almanac and Book of Facts. The World Almanac Reference Database. Facts On File News Services. 24 Apr. 2008
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