FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jack Fleming
617-236-1652, x2627
Or
Marc Chalufour
617-236-1652, x2632
Boston Marathon Set to Begin Two Hours Earlier
New 10:00 a.m. Start Will Benefit Runners and Communities
Boston, Mass. - As was announced in August 2006, the Boston Athletic
Association, in cooperation with the eight cities and towns along the
Boston Marathon course, will begin the 111th Boston Marathon, Monday, April
16, 2007, at 10:00 a.m.
The B.A.A. has been discussing this concept with officials of each of the
cities and towns since 2005 and has received support from representatives
of each, as well as those from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Mobility Impaired Program, Wheelchair and Elite Women's divisions will
continue to start earlier. The race will also continue to utilize a
two-wave start, with the first wave beginning at 10 a.m.
The legendary Boston Marathon course follows a point-to-point route from
rural Hopkinton into Ashland, then Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton,
Brookline and, finally, Boston. The inaugural Boston Marathon, held in
1897, began at 12:19 p.m., and the race traditionally began at noon in the
109 races that followed.
In an effort to inform residents of the communities along the course as
well as commuters who may be affected by the new start time, several
measures are being taken:
· The towns and cities along the course will post information on the early
start to their websites.
· Public service announcements will broadcast important details about the
earlier start.
· The B.A.A. will place public service advertisements in newspapers that
serve the communities along the course.
Schedule for the start of the 2007 Boston Marathon:
Division Start Time
Mobility Impaired Division (approximately 10 athletes): 9:00 a.m.
Wheelchair Division (approximately 50 athletes): 9:25 a.m.
Elite Women (approximately 80 athletes): 9:35 a.m.
Wave One (approximately 10,000 athletes): 10:00 a.m.
Wave Two (approximately 13,500 athletes): 10:30 a.m.
Below is a road closure and re-opening schedule for the towns along the
Boston Marathon course (all times are approximate):
LOCATION/TOWN CLOSE - OPEN
Hopkinton 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Ashland 7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Framingham 8:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Natick 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Wellesley 8:45 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Newton 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Brookline 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Boston Variable - 6:00 p.m.
In addition to runners enjoying cooler temperatures and an earlier
re-opening of roads to vehicular traffic, several other reasons factored
into the B.A.A.'s decision to break from its traditional noon starting
time:
· The overwhelming majority of runners prefer to start earlier than noon.
Recreational and elite runners alike are accustomed and tuned to racing
marathons in the morning.
· The event's medical constituency unanimously concurs with an earlier
start time.
· Police, fire and medical representatives of all eight cities and towns
along the route have responded positively to the concept of the earlier
start.
Registration for the 2007 Boston Marathon has officially closed. The field
size of 23,500 official runners is the second largest in Boston history,
behind only the 1996 100th running.
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