The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race held in eastern Massachusetts, United States, traditionally on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April.
First run in 1897, it is the world’s oldest annual marathon and one of seven World Marathon Majors, alongside races in Sydney, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City. The 42.195-kilometre course runs from Hopkinton in southern Middlesex County to Boylston Street near Copley Square in Boston, passing through eight cities and towns. The Boston Athletic Association has organised the event since its inception, including a virtual alternative in 2020 when the road race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race attracts more than 500,000 spectators along the route, making it New England’s most widely viewed sporting event. The 1996 Centennial edition set a record as the world’s largest marathon, with 38,708 entrants and 35,868 finishers. Runners face hilly Massachusetts terrain and unpredictable April weather, contributing to the race’s reputation as a challenging test for amateur and professional athletes alike.
The Boston Marathon features in the episode with David Abel about his journey from Cuba to Cape Cod, and in the episode exploring seven marathons and a bicycle journey to India.
