April Brings The Return of Boston’s Marathon

Each year, runners from all over the world compete in the famous Boston Marathon, normally held on the third Monday in April. The Marathon is New England’s most widely viewed sporting event and has been taking place in Boston for over 100 years.

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by several cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. The Boston Marathon is the oldest and one of the world’s six major marathons, along with the New York City, Chicago, Berlin, London, and Tokyo marathons. It is sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association. 

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has organized this event annually since 1897, except for 2020 when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was held later, in October. The race has been managed by DMSE Sports, Inc., since 1988. Amateur and professional runners from all over the world compete in the Boston Marathon each year, braving the hilly Massachusetts terrain and varying weather to take part in the race.

RUN 4 FFWPU/ Pexels | The race is organized by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), and the principal sponsor is John Hancock Financial Services

The event attracts 500,000 spectators each year, making it New England’s most widely viewed sporting event. Starting with just 15 participants in 1897, the event now attracts an average of about 30,000 registered participants each year, with 30,251 people entering in 2015. The Centennial Boston Marathon in 1996 established a record as the world’s largest marathon with 38,708 entrants, 36,748 starters, and 35,868 finishers. But now, for the first time in three years, the marathon is back in its rightful Patriot’s Day time slot. And for runners in this year’s race, it’s a much-needed return to normalcy.

The 2022 Boston Marathon 

RUN 4 FFWPU/ Pexels | The Boston Marathon is the only major marathon to be held on a weekday

Runners must be vaccinated to participate in 2022. However, the rolling start that marked last year’s iteration of the race, another protocol was taken to stem close contact between racers, has been removed. With approximately 30,000 participants expected this year there just wouldn’t be enough space to reimplement the system.

The defending champions of the race are Benson Kipruto of Kenya and Diana Kipyokei of Kenya. The Boston Athletic Association is marking the 50th anniversary of the first official women’s division, though the eight women who lined up alongside the men that year were not the first ones to run the race.

RUN 4 FFWPU/ Pexels | Participants brought the spirit of the Boston Marathon to neighborhoods around the world, covering 26.2 miles virtually in their neighborhoods

This year’s Boston Marathon will take place on Monday, April 18. The men’s wheelchair start will kick things off at 9:02 a.m., followed three minutes later by the women’s wheelchair event. At 9:30 a.m., the handcycles and duo group will depart.

The professional men’s division is the next group up, taking off at 9:37 a.m. It will be followed up by the professional women’s division, which will start running at 9:45 a.m.The 26 miles, 385-yard race starts in the town of Hopkinton, located southwest of Boston. The Marathon finishes across from the Boston Public Library and Old South Church in Boston’s Copley Square, located in the Back Bay neighbourhood near Downtown.