The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in Greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts. It is always held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. It is one of six World Marathon Majors.
Since 1897, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has managed this event. Amateur and professional runners from all over the world compete in the Boston Marathon each year, braving the hilly New England terrain and varying weather to take part in the race.
The Centennial Boston Marathon in 1996 established a record as the world's largest marathon with about 38,700 participants.
Qualifying
The Boston Marathon is open to runners 18 or older from any nation, but they must meet certain qualifying standards. To qualify, a runner must first complete a standard marathon course certified by a national governing body affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations within a certain period of time before the date of the desired Boston Marathon (usually within approximately 18 months prior).
QUALIFYING TIMES
| Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 3 hrs 05 min 00 sec | 3 hrs 35 min 00 sec |
| 35-39 | 3 hrs 10 min 00 sec | 3 hrs 40 min 00 sec |
| 40-44 | 3 hrs 15 min 00 sec | 3 hrs 45 min 00 sec |
| 45-49 | 3 hrs 25 min 00 sec | 3 hrs 55 min 00 sec |
| 50-54 | 3 hrs 30 min 00 sec | 4 hrs 00 min 00 sec |
| 55-59 | 3 hrs 40 min 00 sec | 4 hrs 10 min 00 sec |
| 60-64 | 3 hrs 55 min 00 sec | 4 hrs 25 min 00 sec |
| 65-69 | 4 hrs 10 min 00 sec | 4 hrs 40 min 00 sec |
| 70-74 | 4 hrs 25 min 00 sec | 4 hrs 55 min 00 sec |
| 75-79 | 4 hrs 40 min 00 sec | 5 hrs 10 min 00 sec |
| 80 and over | 4 hrs 55 min 00 sec | 5 hrs 25 min 00 sec |
THE COURSE
The legendary Boston Marathon course follows a point-to-point route from Hopkinton to Boston, and is certified per the guidelines set forth by the IAAF and USA Track and Field.
- The historic course starts on Main Street in the rural New England town of Hopkinton and follows Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and Wellesley to where Route 16 joins Route 135
- It continues on Route 16 through Newton Lower Falls to Commonwealth Avenue, turning right at the fire station onto Commonwealth which is Route 30
- It continues on Commonwealth through the Newton Hills, bearing right at the reservoir onto Chestnut Hill Avenue to Cleveland Circle
- The route then turns left onto Beacon Street continuing to Kenmore Square, and then follows Commonwealth Avenue inbound
- The course turns right onto Hereford Street (NOTE: against normal traffic flow) then left onto Boylston Street, finishing near the John Hancock Tower in Copley Square.
2013 bombings
During the 2013 Boston Marathon, on April 15, 2013 at 2:49 p.m. EDT, nearly three hours after the winners crossed the finish line, two explosions occurred about 200 yards (180 m) apart on Boylston Street, in approximately the last 225 yards (205 m) of the course. The race was halted, preventing many from finishing. Three spectators were killed and more than 200 people were injured.
2014 Boston marathon
In the men’s race, Meb Keflezighi became the first American man to
win the Boston Marathon in 31 years. In the women’s race, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended the title she said she could not
enjoy a year ago after the fatal bombings.
About 36,000 runners have registered for the race this year. this is the second-largest field in the race's history. Race Day 2014, Boston Marathon runners honored victims and survivors of last year’s
Marathon bombings.
