This morning, the 26.2 Foundation hosted the annual Marathon kickoff breakfast at the John Warren Lodge in Hopkinton. 26.2 Foundation CEO Tim Kilduff presided over the affair, assisted by many well-known locals were in attendance, including Select Board members Mary Jo Lafreniere and Shahidul Mannan, former Selectmen Len Holden and John Couhtino, State Representative James Arena-DeRosa, Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray, Team Hoyt Director Russ Hoyt, and Chief of Police Joseph Bennett, who were joined by several influential members of the business community.
Working with local partners, the 26.2 Foundation unveiled a 100th anniversary logo that will be used across several marketing initiatives in the coming months. Hopkinton Center for the Arts Executive Director Kelly Grill and 26.2 Development Director Kim Chisolm shared several local arts initiatives that the community will be invited to participate in, including plans for a prominent mural that will encourage visitors to post pictures of themselves in front of.
The Marathon’s original start line was in Ashland. In was 1897, and it was called the American Marathon then. Marathoning was relatively new, and there weren’t many standards. At the time, the race measured 24.5 miles, 1.7 miles shorter than the marathon we know today. The length was based on the first modern Olympic Games marathon distance, which was held the year earlier, in 1896.
The distance of the marathon was tweaked in 1908 for the Olympic Games in London. King Edward the VII wanted the race to begin at Windsor Castle so he and the family could watch it. The distance between Windsor Castle and Olympic Stadium in London was 26 miles, and organizers added 385 yards so the race could finish around a track, in front of the King and Queen’s royal box.
So by 1924 the distance was standardized to 26.2 miles, and the start of the race was moved to Hopkinton.
The Boston Marathon will be held Monday, April 15, 2024.
