Who Wants to Be a Bostonian?

The lock kiya jaaye answer to this one of course is ‘C’. The Boston Marathon is that great, hallowed event on the ‘must-do’ list of every serious marathoner. Let’s take a look at what makes Boston what it is.

History

Most of us may know that this is among the world’s most well-known racing event, but did you also know that it’s the world’s oldest marathon? It’s more than a decade since this event celebrated its 100th year! Can you guess when the Boston Marathon began?

A. 1876
B. 1866
C. 1870
D. 1897

D - After the success of the marathon competition event in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the city of Boston decided to host the first Boston Marathon in 1897. It started out as a local event and in fact for several years the only prize for winning was the wreath of olive branches.

Gradually the event attracted runners from all over and soon enough, professional athletes as well as corporate sponsors wanted to a part of the action. Today, even though there are cash prizes, several runners take part for no reason at all except for the sheer accomplishment of having run Boston. One of the reasons that makes it so attractive are the stringent standards to qualify.

To “BQ” (qualify for Boston)

It’s simple, really . First, you must complete a standard marathon course certified by any body that is associated with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), within 18 months of the date of the Boston Marathon. Then if you’re in the 18-35 age group, your time at this marathon should be no more than 3 hours and 10 minutes (if male) or 3 hours and 40 minutes (if female). This qualifying time is adjusted as age increases i.e. if you’re a 40-year old male, you may still qualify with a time of 3 hours and 20 minutes. So qualifying for Boston is an achievement in itself!

The only exception is given to 1,250 runners every year who…?

A. raise sponsorship for pre-designated local charities
B. are celebrities
C. make a marathon movie that year for the Oscars
D. are senior citizens

The answer is ‘A’.

Boston Trivia

• in 1897, the first Boston Marathon, there were only 15 runners
• and in 1996, the 100th year, there were over 38,000!
• The youngest winner was Tim Ford, 18 years old when he took part in 1906
• The oldest winner was Clarence deMar, 41 years old when he won in 1930
• The men’s record for the fastest Boston Marathon is 2:07:14, Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya in 2006
• Women were first allowed in 1972. Eight women took part (all of them finished)

So there you have it. Some tiny nuggets highlighting the story of the Boston Marathon, a member of the World Marathon Majors. Which of these marathons is also part of the World Marathon Majors?

A. Chicago
B. Berlin
C. London
D. New York City

The answer is – all 4!

Hope you enjoyed this piece. And here’s to seeing some of us getting high at Heartbreak Hill. After all, don’t we all want to be Bostonians!

Check - http://www.bostonmarathon.org/

Watch RFL Features for more interesting stories coming your way.