It is the pioneer of marathons – organized since 1897 -, the one who opened the way. And the most competitive, too. Moreover, you can only qualify for it via a reference time achieved during the previous 18 months. And the minimums required by Boston are severe: 3 h 05 for men between 18 and 34 years old, and 5 to 10 minutes more per age group up to 60 years old – add 30 minutes for women. Minimums which become even more severe when there are too many applications for registration. In short, getting your visa for Boston is not easy – unless you offer yourself a “charity” bib by agreeing to contribute to works, which has a rather high price (some 5,000 dollars).
The Boston Marathon is undoubtedly the most prestigious of the “World Marathon Majors”, a competition bringing together six major marathons (Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York) considered to be the “musts” of the discipline. To know, however: it is not in Boston that the best runners will be able to try to break the world record for the discipline, the rules for validating such a record prohibiting having a finish located at an altitude lower than that departure.
If the Boston Marathon is legendary, it has nevertheless known tragic hours: on April 15, 2013, during its 117th edition, two bombs exploded near the finish line, two hours after the winner had passed. They will cause the death of three people and will cause 264 injuries.
Riders from Russia or Belarus prohibited
Runners from Russia or Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the Boston Marathon on April 18 due to the invasion of Ukraine, organizers announced recently. This ban concerns runners residing in Russia or Belarus, while expatriates of Russian or Belarusian origin will be able to take part in the race provided that they do not wear the colors of their country of origin, specified the Boston Athletic Association.
“N We believe that running is a global sport, and as such, we must do what we can to show our support for the Ukrainian people.” said Tom Grilk, general manager of the Boston Athletic Association, adding that organizers have been “horrified and indignant” by the reports and the images showing what is happening in Ukraine.
The Boston Marathon, canceled in 2020 and then organized in October 2021 with a lower number of participants due to Covid-19, returns to its calendar this year (the third Monday in April, Patriots Day in the United States) and returns to its usual format.