20 Boston Marathon Facts

Here are some facts regarding the Boston Marathon.  Just a few things to remind you of the joy of the race, as your news feeds and airways are force feeding you the sadness of the day.

1.       The Marathon is run each year on Patriots’ Day.  Patriots’ Day is a Massachusetts state holiday that commemorates the opening battle of the American Revolution that took place at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.  The holiday is celebrated on the Monday closest to the 19^th. (The event attracts, on average, 500,000 spectators and 20,000 participants).

2.       It is 1 0f 6 marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors (a competition for marathon runners).  Majors marathons: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

3.       The Marathon was inspired by the 1896 Olympics and officially began the following year in 1897.  It is the world’s annual marathon.

4.       1966 - Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb is recognized as the first female to run the race in its entirety.

5.       1967 – Although women were not [officially] permitted to run, Kathrine Switzer registered as K.V. Switzer and successfully ran the race.  Race official, Jock Semple, attempted to rip off her numbers and eject her from the race.

6.       1972 – Women were officially permitted to enter the race. 

7.       1975 - Bob Hall wrote race director Will Cloney to ask if he could compete in the race in his wheelchair. Cloney wrote back that he could not give Hall a race number, but would recognize Hall as an official finisher if he completed the race in under 3 hours and 30 minutes. Hall finished in 2 hours and 58 minutes, paving the way for the wheelchair division.

8.       1980 - Amateur runner Rosie Ruiz came from out of nowhere to win the women's race. Marathon officials became suspicious when it was found Ruiz did not appear in race videotapes until near the end of the race. A subsequent investigation concluded that Ruiz had skipped most of the race and blended into the crowd about one mile (1.6 km) from the finish line, where she then ran to her apparent victory. Ruiz was officially disqualified, and the winner was proclaimed to be Canadian Jacqueline Gareau.

9.       1986 - The first financial prize was awarded.  Previously, the prize was a wreath woven of olive branches. This change came after sponsors were added to combat professional runners refusing to run minus cash prizes. 

10.   1990 - Men’s Masters Record: John Campbell (New Zealand), 2:11:04

11.   1994 - Women’s Push Rim Wheelchair Record: Jean Driscoll (United States), 1:34:22

12.   2002 – Margaret Okayo (Kenya) set the woman’s course record at 2:20:43. 

13.   2002 - Women’s Masters Record: Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (Russia), 2:27:58  

14.   2011 – Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) set the men’s course record at 2:03:02.  It was not recognized as a world record due to the course route allowing for tailwind.

15.   2012 – Rick Hoyt (50), who has cerebral palsy, completed his 30^th Boston Marathon along side his father, Dick (72).  Dick was pushing Rick in his wheelchair.

16.   2012 - Men’s Push Rim Wheelchair Record: Joshua Cassidy (Canada), 1:18:25.

17.   2012 – Samuel Adams released its “Adams 26.2” as a commemorative lager with less alcohol content for exclusive purchase at the Marathon.

18.   2013 – Race dedicated to the victims of the Newtown shooting.

2013 start times –

9:00 a.m.: Mobility Impaired Program

9:17 a.m.: Push Rim Wheelchair Division

       9:22 a.m.: Handcycle Participants

       9:32 a.m.: Elite Women

      10:00 a.m.: Elite Men and Wave One

      10:20 a.m.: Wave Two

      10:40 a.m.: Wave Three

19.   On only four occasions have world record times for marathon running been set in Boston.   In 1947, the men's record time set was 2:25:39, by Suh Yun-Bok of South Korea. In 1975, a women's world record of 2:42:24 was set by Liane Winter of West Germany, and in 1983, Joan Benoit Samuelson of the United States ran a women's world record time of 2:22:43. In 2012 Joshua Cassidy of Canada set a men's wheelchair marathon world-record time of 1:18:25.

20.   The Boston Marathon Memorial in Copley Square, not far from the finish line, was installed to mark the one-hundredth running of the race. A circle of granite blocks set in the ground surrounds a central medallion that traces the race course and other segments that show an elevation map of the course and the names of the winners.