On Monday, many of the top runners on the planet return to Boston for the 128th running of the Boston Marathon. The race, held annually on the third Monday of April, is a massive event for the City of Boston and the Greater Boston area drawing crowd throughout the entire 26.2-mile course. It’s a meaningful day to many in the region.
At the same time, the race isn’t just a draw for the fans. For runners, there’s a special allure to Boston that continues well into the race’s second century.
That doesn’t just apply to the thousands of runners who take part in the event to set a personal milestone or run for charity. Even the elite professional runners, those who are the best in the world at running marathons, find extra meaning in the 26.2 miles between Main Street in Hopkinton (which is celebrating its 100th year as the starting point of the race) and Boylston Street in Back Bay.
For different runners, that meeting takes different forms. Ahead of this year’s race, some of the top contenders in the men’s and women’s divisions spoke with 98.5 The Sports Hub about what they find to be the biggest draw of the Boston Marathon to them and their fellow runners. Here’s what they had to say…
Des Linden
Apr 17, 2023; Boston, MA, USA; Des Linden (USA) crosses the finish line at the 2023 Boston Marathon. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
“There’s so many different things, but right now what stands out to me is the qualifying. It’s such a touchy subject, but it’s because it’s important, it’s because it’s meaningful – having a goal and being able to achieve it. There’s still so much value in that, and people want to accomplish difficult things. So that goal post is going to keep moving. The times are going to keep getting better because a lot of people find it meaningful. And that just sort of exemplifies people raising each other up. I just think that that’s – it’s unique to all the other marathons out there. You qualify for this one it’s the everyman’s Olympics.”
Matt McDonald
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 08: Matt McDonald of the United States crosses the finish line of the 2023 Chicago Marathon at Grant Park on October 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“The fact that there’s like, this exclusivity to Boston, makes it an event because you’ve qualified. You worked hard to get here, and this is sort of the reward. And to see that in most of the other runners is super exciting because we come here to compete as much as we can, and we’re here on business basically…The competition I’m running with comes here for business. To see everybody else coming here for fun, it reminds me that I should also be having fun at this event, because it is a fun event and it is a special event, and it is something that I’ve earned. And everyone who’s running it has earned and should feel like they’ve earned it and enjoy the reward.”
Elkanah Kibet
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 18: Elkanah Kibet of the United States crosses the finish line in the professional men’s division during the 126th Boston Marathon on April 18, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
“One thing that I keep coming to Boston for is the tradition of Boston. I mean, this is [the] 128th marathon. Who doesn’t want to be part of that tradition? And it’s like, the culture is unique. It’s on Patriots’ Day and everybody comes out. It’s a no-work day for the Massachusetts state. So this is the culture that the tradition has lived for more than 100 years. And it brings the community together. It brings, people get together, and watch parties. So that’s really good. And especially the cheering, When you’re running, you come close to Boylston Street and the colleges. When you’re running up to hills, it’s amazing. That’s a culture that really needs – everybody needs to have a culture like that.”
C.J. Albertson
Apr 18, 2022; Boston, MA, USA; CJ Albertson (29) runs during the 2022 Boston Marathon. Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
“The atmosphere. It seems like the whole town – or all the towns around Boston – are just into it. So when you go out to race, it’s just like this huge thing where everyone’s into it. There’s tons of energy. Just like the whole weekend from when you arrive to the airport, go to the expo, go to your hotel, just all the pre-race event stuff. It’s just super fun. And so it’s not just like a race where, you show up, you check it at the expo, you go to a hotel and then you race the next day. Boston’s a whole weekend experience that’s just a lot of fun.”
Emma Bates
Apr 17, 2023; Boston, MA, USA; Emma Bates (USA) after crossing the finish line at the 2023 Boston Marathon. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
“It’s something that has so much history and so much meaning. And I think that people really respect that and people really understand that. So everybody wants to be a part of it, and everybody wants to support everybody that is here, and everybody’s just so happy and smiling. There’s not a wet blanket in the room when you’re when you’re at the Boston Marathon.”
Meb Keflezighi
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 21: Meb Keflezighi of the United States crosses the finish line to win the 118th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
“This is the Olympics for the everyday runner. It really is. From the elite athlete, maybe final finish – win or top three or top ten – but for some people they just say ‘my dream is to qualify for the Boston Marathon.’ This morning I met a lady, her first marathon was 5:05. But she’s here today because she qualified for the Boston Marathon of 3:27. She almost took two hours [off her time]. She just keeps saying, ‘pinch me, pinch me because is really happening?’ So to be able to be here, whether you qualified or you’re doing a greater cause, like I’m doing a charity runner…You are the elite of the elitist for those that qualified. And then for the charity, keep up the great work. Because that’s what the spirit of the Marathon. It’s not just three hours or four hours, but to be able to include everybody to come at different rates, to just partake of the Boston Marathon. For 128 years, that’s incredible.”
