- FACTS & FIGURES
5 Things You Didn't Know About the Boston Marathon
Everyone knows that the Boston Marathon is 26.2 miles long, but did you know...➜
- It takes nearly10,000 volunteers each year to host the race and surrounding events. Be sure to thank the friendly volunteers wearing their Boston Marathon jackets all weekend.
- 2. The marathon originally started in Ashland from 1897 to 1923, and was only moved to Hopkinton once the 26.2- mile distance became official in 1924.
- 3. The highest point on the entire race course is the start line in Hopkinton, not Heartbreak Hill. At 463 feet above sea level, the start line has the honor of being the highest point, while Heartbreak Hill rises to a grueling 263 feet. Be sure to save some energy to conquer the hills!
- 4. The Marathon hasn’t always been on a Monday. Prior to 1969, the race always took place on the Patriots’ Day holiday — April 19 — unless the date fell on a Sunday. Starting in ’69, the third Monday in April was designated as Patriots’ Day, as it remains to this day. The last non-Monday winner was Amby Burfoot, in 1968, on a Friday!
Amby Burfoot will run again this year!
Only 10% of the entire race course is run within Boston’s city limits: the 1.1-mile stretch from 21.35 to 22.45 miles just after Boston College, and the final 1.5 miles to the finish on Boylston Street. Though it only accounts for 2.6 miles, the fan support within Boston is unmatched.
And the one thing that no one knows is exactly where the famed unicorn emblem came from!
