Boston Marathon Marks Its 100th Running
From beef stew and a laurel wreath to a $100,000 prize. From 15 runners to 40,000. From John McDermott to Cosmas Ndeti and John Kelley (the elder) to John Kelley (the younger).
Like the men and women who have run in it, the Boston Marathon has come a long way.
Fifteen men lined up on Patriots Day in 1897 for the first Boston Marathon, with McDermott leading the 10 finishers by over 6 minutes. A century later, more than 38,000 runners - and thousands more unwelcome bandits - will amass in Hopkinton today when the 100th Boston Marathon field makes its 26.2-mile commute downtown.
“I never thought it would ever be like this. Not in its wildest days,” said 88-year-old John A. Kelley, a two-time winner, seven-time runner-up and 58-time finisher. “It will be the celebration of celebrations.”
Kelley, no relation to the John J. Kelley who won it in 1957, will serve as grand marshal. Two million spectators are expected to line the route.
Kenyan Cosmas Ndeti is favored to win an unprecedented fourth men’s consecutive title. German Uta Pippig, who ran the two fastest women’s marathons in the world last year, is strongly favored to win her third Boston race in a row.
Two entrants could match Clarence DeMar, who won the race a record seven times from 1911 to 1930. Both are women in wheelchairs.
Jean Driscoll, who has seven straight wins in Spokane’s Lilac Bloomsday 12K, has won the last six renewals in Boston. Five-time Bloomsday winner, Candace Cable-Brooks recorded the last of her six Boston wins in 1988.
xxxx The Boston Marathon can be seen today at 8:30 a.m. on PSN.