BOSTON (AP) — The wheelchair fields left Hopkinton under clear skies and cool temperatures Monday morning for the start of the 129th Boston Marathon. At the finish line 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) away, a troop in colonial garb celebrated the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution.
About 40 members of the Massachusetts National Guard were the first to cross the starting line early Monday, while 30,000 runners gathered on Hopkinton Green to await their start.
Race Director Dave McGillivray sent the uniformed marchers off at 6 a.m., thanking them for their service. McGillivray said it’s a highlight of his day to see them out on the course each year, and it had extra meaning this year.
The race is held annually on the state holiday that commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War, which began 250 years ago Saturday when the first shots were fired in Lexington and Concord. The anniversary was marked at the start by a special logo painted on the street, and a ceremonial ride was planned at the finish by a Paul Revere reenactor.
“We appreciate their service, and just the fact that it’s Patriots’ Day gives it even more meaning,” McGillivray said.
One of the military marchers, Lt. John Lee, said that all of the history “comes to the forefront on a special day like today.”
“I just wanted to be a part of it,” he said.
The town of Hopkinton, a suburb of west of Boston, is the gathering place for the runners preparing for the trek to Copley Square.
A group of middle school and high school students from the town wore T-shirts to commemorate the Patriots’ Day anniversary. They brought American flags to wave at the runners before they cross the start line.
“It’s a good way to welcome the runners and show that they are appreciated in the town,” 14-year-old Vanshika Kukunoor said.
Race organizers are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first wheelchair race. Bob Hall begged his way into the 1975 Boston Marathon,…
