116th Boston Marathon Set for April 16

The Boston Marathon, which happens to be the world's oldest annual marathon, takes place each year on the third Monday of April, which also happens to be Patriots' Day. Taking its inspiration from the 1896 Summer Olympics, the first Boston Marathon was run in 1897 by 18 runners. The Centennial Boston Marathon, which took place in 1996, boasted a world record-setting 38,708 entrants

Last year, some 26,895 participants and 500,000 spectators turned out. The winner in the men's division, Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai, completed the race in the record time of 2 hours, 3:02 minutes. He'll be back for the 2012 competition on April 16. The 2011 women's winner, Kenyan Caroline Kilel, will also be back after her two-second victory over American Desiree Davila last year.

Mutai, who also won the 2011 New York City Marathon in record time, said, “I want to return to Boston to defend my title. I very much liked the race in 2011, because I made the best time ever run in the marathon.”

Unfortunately, Mutai's finishing time was ineligible for a world record due to rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations regarding a marathon course's elevation drop and start/finish separation. The Boston Marathon's 26.22-mile route fails to measure up to the IAAF's standards despite it being considered one of the most arduous and prestigious courses in the world.

One of the main reasons the Boston Marathon point-to-point course is so difficult lies in Heartbreak Hill – a .4-mile, 88-foot ascent between miles 20 and 21 near Boston College. As the last of the four Newton Hills that force runners into a climb after a relatively downward course for the first 16 miles, Heartbreak Hill falls at the point where marathon runners “hit the wall” and face depleted glycogen levels in their muscles.
Starting on Main Street in Hopkinton, the Boston Marathon traces Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and Wellesley. There, the course veers onto Route 16 through Newton Lower Falls. A right-hand turn at the fire station dumps runners onto Commonwealth Avenue/Route 30 through the Newton Hills.

At the reservoir, another right turn on Chestnut Hill Avenue leads to Cleveland Circle. A left on Beacon Street toward Kenmore Square leads back to Commonwealth Avenue and, eventually, a right onto Hereford Street and then a left onto Boylston Street. The Copley Square finish line stands near the John Hancock Tower.
Although the Boston Marathon began as a local, free event, its popularity blossomed over the years and, in 1986, corporate sponsors rallied to contribute prize money for the winners. Another change in the event occurred in 1972 when women were officially allowed to enter.

However, Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb was actually the first female to ever run the entire race six years earlier, in 1966. The following year, Kathrine Switzer entered as K.V. Switzer and became the first woman to run with a number. In a now-infamous incident, race official Jock Semple tried to tear off her number and have her removed from the competition. These days, about 43 percent of the participants are women.

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