Boston Marathon, Annual marathon in Greater Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The Boston Marathon is an annual long-distance running competition that covers 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometers) from Hopkinton through eight Massachusetts communities to downtown Boston.
Founded by the Boston Athletic Association in 1897 after the Athens Olympics, the race has been held continuously since then, making it the world's oldest annual marathon.
The race takes place on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April, and draws over 500,000 spectators who line the course to cheer on runners from around the world.
Runners must meet qualifying time standards based on age and gender to participate, and the course includes challenging hills such as Heartbreak Hill near the 20-mile (32-kilometer) mark.
The Scream Tunnel at Wellesley College features enthusiastic students who cheer loudly and offer kisses to runners passing through the halfway point of the race.
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