History Of Boston Marathon
Doctors will always tell you to do some exercise if you want to keep healthy. This is one of the main reasons that you will find people jogging early in the morning or in the evenings. Some may even jog in the late in the night. Many people who jog always claim that they feel rejuvenated and energized after their jog. So, it should not come as a surprise when people begin to take part in marathons. Whether it is an international level marathon or one organized by the local youth chapter, you will always see people turning up in hordes to participate in the event. |
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Some marathons are old and have been around for a century or more. One marathon that is popular all over the world and attractions around 25,000 runners is the Boston Marathon. This sporting event is very popular in the US and attracts competitors not just from the country, but also from across the world. This is one of the events that is even graced by Olympic runners.
The credit for coming up with the Boston Marathon goes to John Graham, who was the team manager of the US Olympic team. He happened to see the Olympic marathon and wanted to have a similar event in his hometown. So, he joined hands with Herbert H Holton, who was a businessman in Boston, and went about organizing the event. It was not an easy task, as the correct route for the 24.5 miles had to be decided. Initially, many different routes were considered, before zeroing on the final route. The final route was from Metcalf's Mill in Ashland to the Irvington Oval. This route is even followed today.
The first Boston Marathon was held on 19 April 1897 and the event was won by John J. McDermott, who was from New York. There were just 15 participants in this event and McDermott captured the title after 2 hours 55 minutes and 10 seconds.
The Olympic marathon that Holton witnessed in the year 1896 measured a distance of 24.8 miles. This distance was as a result of the Greek legend, wherein Pheidippides, a foot soldier in the Greece army, ran across the Marathon plains all the way to Athens to inform the people that the Greeks had managed to defeat the great Persian army. However, in the year 1908, the distanced was changed when the Olympics were held in London. This was because King Edward VII along with his queen wanted to see the marathon from Windsor Castle. The distance between the castle, from where the marathon started, and the Olympic stadium, where the event culminated was 26 miles. Also, there were a few additional yards (385 yards) that the organizers added, so that the finish would be reached by the runners. And, as a result, today Olympic marathon covers a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards, regardless of where the event is held.
Between the years 1897 and 1968, Boston Marathon was always held on 19 April, which is Patriots' Day celebrated in the states of Massachusetts and Maine. However, if the day was a Sunday, the marathon used to get postponed to the next day, which was a Monday. However, from the year 1969, the Boston Marathon was moved to the third Monday of April.
It maybe interesting for feminists and those who advocate gender equality that women were not allowed to run in the Boston Marathon when it started. However, one gutsy lady named Roberta Gibb became the first woman to run the marathon in the year 1966. She did not enter as an official run. Instead she hid in the nearby bushes and started when the race began. And female runner, Katherine Switzer, did not tell the organizers that she was a female and hence was given a number to compete in the marathon. This took place in the year 1967. While the organizers tried to remove Switzer from the event, it did not work. Later the Amateur Athletics Union formed and this was the body for allowing the organization of marathons. The Union finally permitted women to take part in long distance events from the year 1971. The first woman to officially win the Boston marathon was Nina Kuscsik in the year 1972.
Later on, the competition was also opened to physically challenged people and a wheelchair division for the competition was formed in the year 1975. The first winner was Bob Hall, who finished the marathon in 2 hours, 58 minutes. He was honored with the Finisher's Certificate.
As time went by, the Boston Marathon attracted Olympic marathon runners to participate. Fatuma Roba was one of the Olympic champions who became the fourth sportsperson to win both the Olympic marathon, in the year 1996, as well as the Boston Marathon, in the year 1997. Other female Olympic marathon champions include Joan Benoit and Rosa Mota. Benoit actually won the Boston Marathon before she won the Olympic event in the year 1984. The only male marathon runner to win both the Olympic event and Boston Marathon is Gelindo Bordin from Italy.
While Boston Marathon is open to recreational runners, it has strict selection criteria. Participants have to apply to take part in the marathon and on successful acceptance, they are eligible to run. Today, this event is extremely popular and prestigious. If a runner tells anyone that he or she has taken part in Boston Marathon, automatically the person's prestige is enhanced in the eyes of others. To be able to take part in Boston Marathon, or in any other marathon event, a person has to be physically fit and be able to cover the entire distance. It requires rigorous training and commitment for a person to be able to participate in an event of this caliber.
More Articles :
Boston Athletic Association: Boston Marathon History
http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/boston-marathon-history.aspx
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