Boston Marathon on Monday

The 111th Boston Marathon will be traversing across part of Brighton this coming Monday, April 16, 2007 (Patriot's Day).

Changes from previous years:

• Race now starts at 10:00 am (not noon)!
• Dick and Rick Hoyt are not participating
  

Other changes from last year(s) that carry over:

• Wheelchair Start: 35 minutes earlier than the main field (i.e., 9:25 am)
  
• Elite Women's Start: 25 minutes earlier than the main field (i.e., 9:35 am)
• Main field broken into two start times:
• Elite Men + main field wave 1 at 10:00am
• Main field wave 2 at 10:30 am

Where is the best place to view the race?

The course passes through Brighton for miles 21.4 (BC Green Line T Station) to 22.3 (Cleveland Circle). Both of those are popular places to view the race. Cleveland Circle has occasionally witnessed wheelchair crashes when crossing the train tracks -- unless they need medical attention, please do not assist the wheelchair athletes back onto their chairs, or else they will be disqualified!

Another great place to watch is at the beginning of Heartbreak Hill in Newton -- approximately mile 20.2 on the course -- at the corner of Comm. Ave and Grant Ave (500 Commonwealth Ave, Newton). You'll see the wheelchair racers making their move and breaking free from each other as they go up the hill. Lots of runners will need cheers to carry on up the hill.

Course map can be found here (PDF).

When will the athletes be arriving at these locations?

The 35-K (21.75 mile) mark is near the intersection of Comm Ave and Wade Street / Foster Street, i.e., halfway between the BC T station and Cleveland Circle.

Here are expected arrival times for the lead competitors in each category:

Mile.......Wheel(M)....Wheel(F).....Runner(W).....Runner(M)
21.75.....10:30:14.....10:46:33.......11:32:48........11:46:55

and the last official competitors to come through should be at 3:29 pm (who started at 10:30 am and are on a pace of 13:45/mi to finish in exactly six hours).

The biggest pack of runners will be coming through 12:30 - 2:00 pm.

Everything is approximately 10 minutes earlier at Heartbreak Hill (20.2 mile mark).

What could I do to help out runners?

1. High fives
2. Bananas (or cut in half)
3. Petroleum jelly (for chafing)
4. Cheer really, really loudly -- many wear names on their clothes