Boston has the distinct honor of being home to the world’s oldest annual marathon. Steeped in tradition, the Boston Marathon ranks among the most prestigious road racing events ever. Seasoned runners aspire to run a fast enough “qualifying time” to even be able to toe the starting line and the spectators are known to be loud and proud. Check out our tips to enjoy this racing spectacle to its fullest.
(Photo copyright: Flickr user timkelley)
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Date / Time:
- Monday, April 16, 2012 (rain or shine)
- Boston Marathon starting times:
- 9:00 am – Mobility impaired participants
- 9:17 am – Push-Rim Wheelchair Division
- 9:22 am – Handcycle Participants
- 9:32 am – Elite Women’s start
- 10:00 am – Elite Men’s & Wave One start
- 10:20 am – Wave Two start
- 10:40 am – Wave Three start
- Estimated finishing times:
- 10:40 am – Men’s Wheelchair winner
- 10:55 am – Women’s Wheelchair winner
- 11:56 am – Elite Women’s winner
- 12:05 pm – Elite Men’s winner
- Boston streets start reopening at 6:00 pm. The streets around the other course communities will have a rolling reopening (approximately 4 – 6 hours after the 9:00 am start).
Marathon Route:
The Boston Marathon is 26.2 miles long and takes the following route.
- Hopkinton (Start to 2 miles): The race starts on Route 135. Runners will plod along this road for the next 13+ miles!
- Ashland (2 to 5 miles)
- Framingham (5 to 8 miles)
- Natick (8 to 11.5 miles)
- Wellesley (11.5 to 16 miles): Runners finally leave Route 135 and merge onto Route 16 at the Marathon’s halfway point.
- Newton Lower Falls / West Newton (16 to 17.5 miles): Runners turn from Washington Street (Route 16) onto Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) at the Newton Fire Station.
- Newton (17.5 to 20 miles)
- Chestnut Hill (20 to 21.5 miles)
- Brighton (21.5 to 22.5 miles): Runners turn left onto Beacon Street at Cleveland Circle.
- Brookline (22.5 to 24.5 miles)
- Boston (24.5 to 26.2 miles): At Kenmore Square the runners head down Commonwealth Avenue, take a right onto Hereford Street, and then make a left onto Boylston Street for the home stretch. The race ends in front of the Boston Public Library.
Viewing:
Along The Boston Marathon Route
- Hopkinton (Start to 2 miles): Get away from the start line and go to the 2-mile mark where there are less crowds. You’ll have a better chance of being up front.
- Framingham (5 to 8 miles): This town has access to the Commuter Rail via the Framingham/Worcester Line.
- Natick (8 to 11.5 miles): This town has access to the Commuter Rail via the Framingham/Worcester Line (stop is West Natick). The town green will be packed, but is a good location to cheer from.
- Wellesley (11.5 to 16 miles): This town has access to the Commuter Rail via the Framingham/Worcester Line (stops include Wellesley Square and Wellesley Hills). It is the halfway point where runners leave Route 135 and merge onto Route 16. The Wellesley College area is historical and a hysterical area to watch the marathon from because of the female college students who create a ‘scream tunnel’. Stand before or after the Wellesley Women because you wont be able to get in between them! The Washington Street area in Wellesley Hills is another good viewing location.
- Newton Lower Falls / West Newton (16 to 17.5 miles): The runners turn from Washington Street (Route 16) onto Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30). The Newton Fire Station marks the spot and begins the Newton Hills section. The Green Line’s “D” train stops at Woodland station (Mile 16.8). This spot is before the major hills, but provides a good chance to see your runner twice – here and at the finish line – if you move fast enough to get back on the train and return to Hynes Convention Center or Arlington station!
- Chestnut Hill (20 to 21.5 miles): The infamous “Heartbreak Hill” is within this brutal stretch that sucks the motivation from countless runners. Take the Green Line’s “B” train to Boston College station (Mile 21.4).
- Brighton (21.5 to 22.5 miles): Take the Green Line’s “C” train to Cleveland Circle station (Mile 22.4) or any surface stop. At the Cleveland Circle area, runners turn left onto Beacon Street.
- Brookline (22.5 to 24.5 miles): Take the Green Line’s “C” train to any surface stop or Coolidge Corner.
- Boston (24.5 to 26.2 miles): Any location from Kenmore Square to the finish line is exciting to watch the race from. Not only do you have the festive marathon spectators, but you also have the rowdy fans from Fenway Park! Take the Green Line’s “B”, “C”, or “D” trains to Kenmore Square. The runners continue down Commonwealth Avenue, take a right onto Hereford Street for one short block, then a final left onto Boylston Street for the FINISH LINE.
General Viewing
- Watch the race from a place you can get to by foot or by public transportation. Driving to a location is unadvisable unless you have a place to park and know about the specific street closures.
- Taking the Green Line’s “C” train to any surface exit or the Green Line’s “B” train to the end of the line will get you right on the course. It’s crowded, but you should be able to find an area to settle in (see above). This will also give you accessibility back into Boston. Just remember that this is an area filled with colleges and these college kids are known to be LOUD.
- The area on Commonwealth Avenue – after Kenmore Square and before the turn at Hereford Street (just before the finish) – can provide some good viewing. Be careful though; Commonwealth Avenue at this stretch has limited areas in which to stand and there is also a short tunnel which causes obstructed views. However, you will have the freedom to walk around so you don’t have to stay in one spot.
- Grandstands on Boylston Street are reserved for Sponsors and VIPs. As the day progresses, the bleachers do empty. Asking a volunteer if you can take a seat might just get you a great view.
Viewing a Specific Runner
Connecting with a specific runner – whether it be family member or friend – can be an amazing lift for them, especially if they are going through a rough stretch. Here are some tips to help you see them:
- Plan in advance with your runner what mile marker you will be at and have them commit to running on a certain side of the road. Always give them a mile range (i.e. Miles 9 to 10) because you never know what road blocks you may encounter. As best as you can, attempt to make sure that the side of the road chosen is a one that you can get to easily from the subway/train/hotel exit of where you are coming from.
- Know what your runner is wearing and make sure that they know what you’re wearing too. Try to wear bright colors, or carry a sign, pompoms, or balloons to help the runner pick you out of the crowd. Remember that you are one of 500,000+ spectators, so be creative.
- Arrange a meeting place after the race that is a bit away from the crowd. Keep in mind that the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) organizes a family meeting place, which is by the first letter of the runner’s last name. If the last name begins with a common letter, you may want to plan to meet your runner at the meeting place of another letter. Set a window of time for meeting there rather than something specific because these things often don’t go exactly as planned.
- Plan to carry extra clothes for the runner so they will have something to keep their legs and upper body warm after the race. Also carry baby wipes or a towel so they can get a quick refresh.
- Technology today allows you to track the runner’s progress during the race! There are two options to follow a runner on their marathon experience:
1) Log onto www.baa.org and enter the runner’s name and/or bib # to track them at each 5k point.
2) Sign up in advance for the AT&T Athlete Alert Program, which is NEW in 2012. Messages will be automatically delivered to your cellular phone, pager, hand-held device, or email address. Alerts will be broadcast from the 10k (10.6M), half-marathon, and 30k (18.64M) marks, and finish line.
TIP: Wave’s 1, 2, and 3 start at the times specified BUT some runners won’t cross over the starting line until 10 minutes after that time due to the vast number of participants. Use one or both tracking devices and you will most likely will see your runner go by.
Public Transportation:
Public transportation is by far the best way to travel on Marathon Monday, but it will be crowded. Here is some helpful information to make your day run as smoothly as possible.
MBTA Customer Support: (617) 222-3200
Travelling by “T” (Boston’s subway system):
- Service will operate on a weekday schedule even though it’s a holiday.
- Copley Square station (at the finish line) is closed all day on Marathon Monday and will re-open in the evening.
- There will be extra service added on the Green Line before and after the marathon.
- Purchase your tickets in advance and always buy a roundtrip fare if you are coming back. This will save you the time of waiting in line to purchase a return ticket.
Travelling by Commuter Rail (above-ground train service to outlying towns):
- Unlike the “T”, Commuter Rail trains have set arrival and departure times.
- Commuter Rail trains in Boston depart from South Station (direct access to the T’s “Red Line”) and Back Bay Station (direct access to the T’s “Orange Line”).
- The Framingham/Worcester Line is operating on a weekday schedule, even though it’s a holiday.
Travelling by Bus:
- Buses that operate near the race course will be delayed and detoured.
- Buses will operate on a Saturday schedule since it is a holiday.
Parking:
There will be street closures, spectators, and runners everywhere. Therefore driving in the city or around the Boston Marathon route is unadvisable. If you must drive:
- Meters are free due to the holiday, but open spots will be hard to come by.
- Park outside of the Back Bay (the finish line area) and then walk, take the T, or the Commuter Rail to your chosen location along the marathon route.
- Popular parking garages include:
Restrooms:
- Port-a-potties will be set up for runners at each fluid and first aid station, located at every mile beginning at Mile 2. They may be used by spectators too, but please keep in mind runners should have the right of way.
Clothing:
As a spectator, you have much more flexibility than a runner. The best things to keep in mind are to:
- Dress in layers.
- Carry a backpack so you can remove clothes if the weather warms up or add clothes if the weather cools.
- Wear something that stands out if there will be a runner looking for you along the course.
Supplies:
Carry a backpack. Some items that you may not think to include are:
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Small cushion to sit on while waiting.
- Poncho or umbrella
- Lunch. Lines for food will be extremely long everywhere along the route. Save a grumbling stomach and pack your own.
- Water
Fan Events:
John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo:
This event is where the runners pick up their Boston Marathon bib numbers and it is open to all. The massive expo provides an impressive selection of gear, marathon jewelry, exercise food, workout equipment, and more. There will be sample giveaways, autograph signings from elite runners, and seminars on running. You can easily spend a half-day here or longer. Keep in mind that with over 25,000 runners participating, it will get quite busy on Saturday and Sunday.
Location: Seaport World Trade Center 200 Seaport Boulevard Boston, MA 02210-2031 (617) 385-5000 Public Transportation: Silver Line to World Trade Center Hours: Friday, April 13: 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm Saturday, April 14: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm Sunday, April 15: 9:00 am – 6:00 pmPasta Dinner and Post-Race Party:
Runners receive a complimentary ticket to these events with their bib number packet. A limited number of additional tickets for both the pre-race dinner and post-race party may be purchased at the “Party Tickets” Booth when the runner picks up their bib number at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo.
- Pre-race dinner: $20 per person
- Post-race party: $20 per person
- Tickets will NOT be available for sale on site at either event
Rules:
Remember that you are cheering on people who are running 26.2 miles. Please make sure that you stay on the side of the street and don’t go into the course when people are running by. Have a good time and cheer those runners on!
Additional Fun:
Don’t leave Boston after Marathon Monday without checking out these fun activities:
- Go Boston Card (attraction pass to top sights)
- Boston Marathon’s “Rest Your Feet” activity pass (includes admission to a Hop-on/off Trolley Tour, USS Constitution Cruise, and the Skywalk Observatory at 30% off the retail rate).
- Old North Church: This North End historic location hosts a Lantern Lighting ceremony and the re-enactment of the beginning of Paul Revere’s famous ride warning “The British are coming.” The Lantern Lighting ceremony is on Sunday, April 15 at 7:00 pm. Seating is limited and is on a first come/ first served basis. A line begins to form outside the church in the afternoon. Church members and volunteers have tickets and are allowed first entry. The re-enactment of Paul Revere’s ride takes place on Monday, April 16 at 10:00 am. It starts at Hanover Street in Boston’s North End near the Prado.
More Tips and Info:
- Boston Marathon Race-day Info Booth
- Family Meeting Area
- Awards Ceremony
- Post-race Party (21 and over only)
Did you know…?
- Patriots Day is civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. It always falls on the third Monday in April, the same day as Marathon Monday. Municipal and state offices, schools, libraries are closed.
- Future Boston Marathon Dates:
- The Boston Red Sox have a home game every Marathon Monday. For many years the game ended about the same time that the Elite runners passed by Fenway Park, but a few years ago the marathon changed its starting time. The game now ends when the average runner passes through Kenmore Square – and who better to have a crowd cheer them on?!
- Want to be the best sideline fan you can be? Check out these fun tips.