The Boston Marathon

By Delaney C

In Boston, Marathon Monday is a special day each year for runners from all around the world to come and run 26.2 miles. Marathons are 26.2 miles in honor of a Greek town that had a specific route that was somewhere between 24 and 26 miles long. There was once a Greek soldier who ran that specific route from Marathon to Athens in order to announce that they defeated the Persians. The first Boston marathon was on April 19, 1897, and this day is known as Patriot’s Day, because it recognizes the commemoration of the Revolutionary War. This special day is only celebrated in Massachusetts and Maine. The Boston Marathon begins in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and then ends on Boylston Street right in the city. The route crosses through a variety of towns, which allows for easy access for spectators.  

In the 2017 marathon, runners represented all 50 states, as well as 99 countries. This year, 26,400 participants were able to finish the long and tiresome 26.2 miles. There were approximately 2,500 more male runners than female runners. Another very interesting fact is that there were 7 runners who are 80+ years-old, the oldest being an 84-year-old female from Santa Cruz California! The record for the fastest time in the men’s division is held by Geoffrey Mutai from Kenya, and his time was 2:03:02, which means his average mile was less than five minutes! The record for the fastest time in the women’s division is held by Buzunesh Deba from Ethiopia, and her time was 2:19:59! They have many different divisions for the marathon, which include mobility impaired participants, visually impaired participants, and a handcycle program.

In 2013, two bombs were set off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, and this was when many runners were wrapping up the race. This terrible act killed three people and later, during the manhunt, the bombers also killed an MIT police officer. Instead of focusing on the bad, I chose to focus on the positive side of this event. The Boston Marathon Bombings united the city of Boston. A term that has stuck around is “Boston Strong,” which is seen all throughout the city at various locations. One of my pictures is of the finish line of the Marathon, which is on Boylston Street. Another picture I took was of the bench right outside the fire station on Boylston. The bench says, “Keep Running Boston.” After the bombings, people were supportive of the people affected by the bombings. The One Fund Boston was a charity set up in order to help those in need. Two hundred and sixty-four people were injured, which ranges from minor cuts to losing multiple limbs. The One Fund provided $80 million in cash gifts to the people who were injured during the marathon, and to the families of the victims of the bombings. The nation even came together to support Boston, because it was a long road to recovery ahead for the city. Since the bombings, the marathon has new meaning, because it created an everlasting bond in the community.