The Boston Marathon Fact Sheet

A guide to the world's most celebrated road race

by Erin Teare Martin and Mike Morrison

Joseph Chebet of Kenya in 1999. (Source/AP) The Boston Marathon Virtual Tour: A no-sweat guide to the world's most famous race

What | 112th Boston Marathon

Where | From Hopkinton, MA, to Boston (26.2 miles)

When | Monday, April 21, 2008, race begins at 10:00 A.M.; elite women runners and wheelchair competitors begin earlier.

Who | Approximately 20,000 runners, representing runners from every state in the nation and over 50 countries. The race record was 38,708 for the 100th anniversary in 1996. There will also be well over a half-million spectators lining the course.

2008 Winners

Men's Open:
Robert K. Cheruiyot (Kenya), 2:07:46

Women's Open:
Dire Tune (Ethiopia), 2:25:25

Men's Masters:
Gino S. Van Geyte (Belgium), 2:23:36

Women's Masters:
Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (United States), 2:47:17

Men's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Ernst F. Van Dyk (RSA), 1:26:49

Women's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Wakako Tsuchida (Japan), 1:48:32

2007 Winners

Men's Open:
Robert K. Cheruiyot (Kenya), 2:14:13

Women's Open:
Lidiya Grigoryeva (Russia), 2:29:18

Men's Masters:
Oleg Strizhakov (Russia), 2:28:55

Women's Masters:
Heidy Lozano (United States), 2:56:03

Men's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Masazumi Soejima (Japan), 1:29:16

Women's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Wakako Tsuchida (Japan), 1:53:30

2006 Winners

Men's Open:
Robert K. Cheruiyot (Kenya), 2:07:14

Women's Open:
Rita Jeptoo (Kenya), 2:23:38

Men's Masters:
Sammy Nyangincha (Kenya), 2:26:37

Women's Masters:
Madina Biktagirova (Russia), 2:30:06

Men's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Ernst Van Dyk (South Africa), 1:25:29

Women's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Edith Hunkeler (Switzerland), 1:47:45

Marathon Facts

The Boston Marathon, organized by the Boston Athletic Association, is the world's oldest marathon. It takes place on the third Monday in April, also known as Patriot's Day, which is a holiday (in Maine and Massachusetts) that commemorates the famous battles of Lexington and Concord.

$575,000 in prize money is up for grabs in 2008.

In terms of media coverage, the Boston Marathon is the second biggest single-day sporting event in the U.S., just behind the Super Bowl. 500,000 spectators are expected to line the course in 2007. (This former runner would like to give a special thanks to the women of Wellesley College, who come out in full force every year to cheer on the participants.)

The 2000 Boston Marathon was the closest in the race's history. Kenya's Elijah Lagat and Ethiopian star Gezahenge Abera sprinted to the finish, with Lagat prevailing. The two actually recorded the same exact time (2:09:47) while Kenyan Moses Tanui followed just three seconds behind.

In 1988, Ibrahim Hussein became the first black male to win at Boston.

Former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Mike Dukakis finished 57th (3:31) as a high school student in 1951.

In 1975, Boston became the first major marathon to include a wheelchair division.

In 2007, the marathon will start in waves, with one group of runners going off at 10:00 A.M. and a second group starting a half an hour later.

Course Records

Men's Open:
Robert K. Cheruiyot (Kenya), 2:07:14, 2006

Women's Open:
Margaret Okayo (Kenya), 2:20:43, 2002

Men's Masters:
John Campbell (New Zealand), 2:11:04, 1990

Women's Masters:
Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (Russia), 2:27:58, 2002

Men's Wheelchair:
Ernst Van Dyk (South Africa), 1:18:27, 2004

Women's Wheelchair:
Jean Driscoll (United States), 1:34:22, 1994

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