The Boston Marathon: A Century of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers

The first-ever Boston Athletic Association Marathon took place on a Monday morning, April 19, 1897. The 18 runners in the field had ridden the 9:12 Boston and Albany train from the Kneeland Street Station in Boston along with an entourage of BAA dignitaries, reporters, handlers on bicycles, a company of soldiers from the Second Infantry Regiment, and a first-aid team.

Since then, a lot has changed, but the basic elements remain the same . . . The course is 26.2 miles long and begins in Hopkinton and ends in front of the Prudential Center of Boston. Runners from all over the world now come to Boston to run this marathon, which is considered the most prestigious running event in the world today. Some well-known winners include John Kelley, who won twice and continued to compete into his eighties. Following in his footsteps, "young" John Kelley (no relation to the old Kelley) was the first American to win in the post WWII era. "Tarzan" Brown won in 1938 and also took a quick swim in Lake Cochichuate. Bill Rodgers won three in a row, 1978, 1979, and 1980, while Rosa Mota of Portugal was the first woman to win three in a row.

Boston hosts the most prestigious and oldest marathon in the world. Annually 17,000 runners representing every state in the Union as well as 75 countries of the world compete. In The Boston Marathon: A Century of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers, you will experience the race unfolding before you, through the eyes of the runners and the people in the towns and cities along the route.