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History of Boston Marathon

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The Boston Marathon has long been a staple in American and global road racing competition. Since the first race was run in 1897 with fifteen participants to the 100th race with 38,000 entrants, this prestigious marathon has become one of the highest goals for running enthusiasts.

Boston Athletic Association member John Graham and Herbert H. Holton were inspired by the marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics and decided to hold a comparable event in Massachusetts. The first Boston Marathon was held on April 19th, 1897, started at Metcalf's Mill in Ashland, ended at the Irvington Oval in Boston, and was only 24.5 miles long. John McDermott won this first historic race with a time of 2:55:10. The starting line was moved to Hopkinton in 1924 and three years later the course was lengthened to the official marathon distance of 26 miles and 385 yards, ending in Copley Square. The first place finisher received a crown of olive branches until the 1986.

April 19th is a significant day to the residents of Massachusetts as it is the day they observe Patriots' DayA day commemorating the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The race was run every April 19th from 1897 until 1968. If the 19th happened to fall on a Sunday, the race was then run on the following Monday. In 1969, it was decided to move the observation of Patriots' Day to the third Monday in April and the Boston Marathon followed suit.

Participation in the Boston Marathon has been an uphill climb for female runners. Women were not allowed entry in the race until 1972; however, the prohibition of women competitors did not deter a few women from gaining illegitimate entry into the race. Roberta Gibb had to hide in the bushes near the starting line of the race to sneak into the Boston Marathon from 1966 until 1968. She was the first woman to unofficially run the entire race. In 1967, Katherine Switzer made her gender unclear in her race application and was then issued a bib number. To no avail, officials tried to physically remove her from the race. Women competitors were finally officially allowed to run in marathons sanctioned by the Amateur Athletics Union in late 1971. Of the eight women who started the 1972 Boston Marathon, all eight competed the race. Nina Kuscsik became the first official woman to finish the Boston Marathon.

Shortly after women gained the right to participate, the Boston Marathon became the first major marathon to have an official wheelchair division in 1975. The first competitor was Bob Hall and he finished the race with a time of 2:58:00, thus opening the race for other wheelchair competitors.

The Boston Marathon is a tradition that is still going strong in Boston. Races are now capped at 25,000 participants and strict qualifying times are adhered to religiously. The race attracted competitors from all over the United States and the world, including Olympic athletes and recreational runners.

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Here is your another answer .

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Hopkinton: Space is scarce at the start of the race, though an early-morning stroll through the area is an interesting way to view how the runners prepare for the grueling task they are about to impose on their bodies.

Ashland, Framingham, and Natick: Each of these town’s greens provides a nice spot to watch early portions of the race, though you had better arrive pretty early, These town residents tend to fill these spots up rather quickly.

Wellesley: Infamous for the vocal support given by Wellesley College students, this town’s center serves as the halfway point for the race.

Chestnut Hill: If you’re into watching the challenges the runners face on Heartbreak Hill, this is your spot. If you’re into providing inspiration for the runners in their time of need, this is also your spot.

Cleveland Circle, Brighton: College students get a day off, and there’s a huge gathering happening in the streets surrounding their apartments. Need we say more as to why this is generally regarded as one of the top marathon party spots?

Coolidge Corner, Brookline: Really anywhere from Washington Square to St. Mary’s will do. College students and young professionals annually make this a lively section of the race.
Kenmore Square: Back when the marathon used to begin at noon, it always crated for an interesting situation in Kenmore Square, where Red Sox fans were normally filtering into the streets following the team’s special Patriot’s Day 11 a.m. traditional start. This was normally right around the time when the elite runners were making their way past the area, and it caused for some gridlock in the streets.
Today, the marathon begins earlier, which means by the time many of the runners are racing through Kenmore, the Sox and their opponents are usually in the fifth inning or so. When the game lets out though, many more runners will be coming through, so there’s still the potential for some headaches. But for atmosphere, it’s still tough to beat.

Boylston St.: This is the stretch run, where the elite runners are jockeying for position in a close race, and the second wave of runners can finally taste the finish line, and their major accomplishment near. It can get awfully crowded all the way from the Boylston St.-Massachusetts Ave. intersection to the finish line just in front of the Boston Public Library. Beyond the finish line offers the chance to offer the runners a more relaxed congratulations as they begin to recover from the journey.
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