Bill Rodgers, Team Hoyt, Bobbi Gibb, Johnny Kelley. They have all faced and conquered Heartbreak Hill. We can too.
People who grew up in New England and follow The Race know these names fondly and give them a special place above our current gold plated athletes of the day. It is a metaphor for life. Or it is incredibly real if you are on the three hills. Most of us know a friend or friend of a friend who has run or will run for a special cause. The discipline and self belief to run this race impress us all.
The Marathon attracts 500,000 spectators each year making it New England’s most widely viewed sporting event. It is one of six World Marathon Majors which include Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and starting this year Tokyo. The first place man and first place woman receive equal prize money and status as a world elite runner.
The Race and these athletes of all sizes, races and colors remind us to keep striving for a better time and healthier life.
As seen even more evidently this year strength and endurance will be needed to mold this world into what we want it to be.
Bobbi Gibb was honored as a Grand Marshall this year. A long road away from her “unofficial” entry in 1966.
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Our First Boston Marathon
Upon witnessing the spirit and majesty of the Olympic Marathon, B.A.A. member and inaugural US Olympic Team Manager John Graham was inspired to organize a marathon in Boston. With the assistance of Boston businessman Herbert H. Holton, various routes were considered, before a measured distance of 24.5 miles from Metcalf’s Mill in Ashland to the Irvington Oval in Boston was selected. On April 19, 1897, John J. McDermott of New York, emerged from a 15-member starting field and captured the first B.A.A. Marathon in 2:55:10, and, in the process, forever secured his name in sports history.
In 1924, the course was lengthened to 26 miles, 385 yards to conform to the Olympic standard, and the starting line was moved west from Ashland to Hopkinton.
Who Came Up With The Marathon Distance?
The 1896 Olympic marathon distance of 24.8 miles was based on the distance run (according to famous Greek legend) by foot-soldier Pheidippides sent from the plains of Marathon to Athens with the news of the astounding victory over a superior Persian army. Exhausted as he approached the leaders of the City of Athens, he staggered and gasped, “Rejoice! We Conquer!” and then collapsed.
The Patriots’ Day Race
From 1897-1968, the Boston Marathon was held on Patriots’ Day, April 19, a holiday commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War and recognized only in Massachusetts and Maine. In 1969, the holiday was officially moved to the third Monday in April. Since 1969 the race has been held on a Monday.
Women Run
Roberta (Bobbi) Gibb was the first woman to run the full Boston Marathon in 1966. Gibb, who did not run with an official race number during any of the three years (1966-68) that she was the first female finisher, hid in the bushes near the start until the race began. In 1967, Katherine Switzer did not clearly identify herself as a female on the race application and was issued a bib number. B.A.A. officials tried unsuccessfully to physically remove Switzer from the race once she was identified as a woman entrant. At the time of Switzer’s run, the Amateur Athletics Union (A.A.U.) had yet to formally accept participation of women in long distance running. When the A.A.U. permitted its sanctioned marathons (including Boston) to allow women entry in the fall of 1971, Nina Kuscsik’s 1972 B.A.A. victory the following spring made her the first official champion. Eight women started that race and all eight finished.
Wheelchair Division
The Boston Marathon became the first major marathon to include a wheelchair division competition when it officially recognized Bob Hall in 1975. With a time of two hours, 58 minutes, he collected on a promise by then Race Director Will Cloney that if he finished in less than three hours, he would receive an official B.A.A. Finisher’s Certificate. American wheelchair competitors Jean Driscoll and Jim Knaub helped to further establish and popularize the division.
(History of race from BAA website)
MD Mama for kids (and us), “Look for the Helpers…”
Read Robin Young’s thoughts on the future of the Race
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