Why BOSTON? The course kinda sucks. Weather can be hit or miss.

Yes! Glad someone else says this.

It has the history, that’s all. If it didn’t exist already, it’s hard to imagine that a new point to point record-ineligible one-way marathon would ever attain such status.

Boston is pretty special if it is run in a day like this year.

there is a lot of history. not everyone looks for a flat fast course.

the crowd support at Boston on a day with weather like this year or a warmer day is much bigger than Chicago. it is a Patriots day so people have the day off to celebrate and drink and cheer the runners.

Chicago has good aid stations but nothing compares to the volunteers at Boston. It is crazy how many volunteers Boston gets and how enthusiastic and supportive they are.

Chicago puts on a great event. I ran it three times and live on the West coast. I set my PR and 2nd best time there. I still prefer the experience of running Boston over it by a wide margin.

It's just the tradition, and even a lot of people who don't run know you have to qualify for it. I ran it once in 1992 and didn't like it, but if I mention in conversation that I EVER ran it some people perk up just a little.

I feel like most of the negatives about Boston can also be applied to Chicago. Weather is hit or miss anywhere. The only reason why you hear about terrible weather in Boston more than another marathon is because it's more well known. There can also be amazing weather like this year. Flights are expensive/long for many people going to Chicago as well. If you associate Boston solely with cream donuts and the band then you obviously need a lesson in history.

Also, what's so terrible about the course? I actually think it's a nice course.

It's all about history.

Boston is the oldest Marathon in the World. The US as a very young nation has not much history, so the people hang on to whatever they can.

I’ll give you the race has had it’s day and gotten too big and caters more to the hobby jogger. Back in the day, before all the other races, it was the place to be. In my opinion, once they started letting in charity runners, it was the beginning of the end. In todays PC world, the people would never stand for qualified runners only.

As a native Bostonian, I do take issue with your other comments. I would say we are known more for our colleges, beaches on the cape, leading hospitals, biotech and until recently as title town for the Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. If you want to pick a food, go with clam chowder and a band more so Aerosmith.

Why the hostility, are you from a flyover state?

It’s the history and the way the entire city embraces including all of the colleges that line the course. They even run it on the areas own exclusive holiday. You can’t just pass that around somewhere else.

So, the difference is that if they ran this race on a Monday anywhere else people would be ticked off. In Boston if you are annoyed there would be someone around who is not even interested in running to tell you it’s Patriots Day so suck it up and embrace it.

Bostonians are prideful of this event on a Monday. It’s about the community and not just the runners.

I think growing up in the Boston area gives you a better understanding of that. People that know nothing about running embrace it here.

History

Tradition

Crowd

Course

The bus ride sucks, the wait at the high school is rough, the long walk to the start, and the course isn’t easy. That makes it all part of the accomplishment.

It’s really the only major marathon I can think of that is qualify only (except charity), no open registration or lottery. It’s just hard enough to qualify to be an achievement, yet enough regular people can do it that it fills up a big field of runners.

The crowd is by far the best I’ve ever experienced. The locals have pride in hosting the race and appreciate the runners. I don’t wear the medal or the jacket, but I look like a runner and am not walking quite right after the race and people say “congratulations”. We all have a little bit of ego and it’s nice to get some validation for a small accomplishment.

NYC is great too, but the city doesn’t embrace it quite like Boston.

Boston is in the spring whereas Chicago, NY, Cal International, and Honolulu are in the fall. The top American hobby joggers are split between these events in the fall. In the spring what else is there? Races in other countries and races where you'd be lucky to see the whole podium go under 230.

I think if you're on the cusp of sub elite, Boston isn't great because of the travel and logistics (unless you're so rich you can mitigate it, like getting in a few days before and staying in a fancy hotel foot distance from the start). But what else are you going to do? Vermont City is the only other thing I can think of in the US that might have a fast runner or 2 to pace off of.

LA and Houston are winter marathons, not spring marathons so I don't think they really detract from my argument.

I wish there was another spring marathon worth doing because the travel costs and start logistics at Boston suck big time. Rock n Roll San Diego used to be a pretty serious race, but no longer.

Boston is arguably the biggest running city in the country. Do any other major metros outside of NYC support several running store chains, on top of a branded brick-and-mortar store for each of the shoe brands? Tracksmith’s store routinely draws in hundreds of people of people for a Sunday long run, and they’re just one option of over a dozen. Three out of the five best indoor track facilities on the East Coast are within Boston’s city limits. No other city has this concentration of running culture.

Besides that, the Boston Marathon isn’t just a race — at this point, it’s a huge running industry event. It’s an Adidas-sponsored marathon in the home of New Balance and Saucony. Other brands like Puma have key teams in Boston because there’s such a concentration of shoe design talent there. So while everyone’s in town, there are a lot of product launches and other events. There’s no real ‘reason’ for this except that stuff like this begets itself.

That would be opinion. And most of the responses are from boring people. If you don’t like the adventure, stay home in your safe space.

a bad race starts 45 minutes late, doesn’t have course markers, no volunteers to direct you, no awards ceremony, clock is wrong, no bathrooms. You fuddy duddy’s need some perspective. Try blasting that boring ass course/city for Grandmas.

Because it’s the Grandaddy of ‘em all, son.

I have a home marathon course I love, too. It's flat, fast, cheap and easy to get to, where I've PR'd multiple times. But it'll never be The Boston Marathon.

Boston Marathon is special because of:

-The tradition and history, not only of the birth of marathon running in America, but of the birth of America itself.

-The difficult course and unpredictable weather, which scare off runners of weaker body and mind, add to its allure for those eager to conquer challenges.

-It's one of the very few races you have to earn your way in, either through performance or by earning significant amounts money to donate to charity.

-The race is run impeccably.

-The fan support is phenomenal.

-The city supports the race and the runners 100%.

-Non-runners, while being oblivious to most other amateur running accomplishments, recognize the achievement of having qualified for and finishing the Boston marathon.

But no, Boston Marathon is not the easiest race to get into, travel to, run, or finish. If that's what you're after, the Boston Marathon might not be for you.

Weather here is just as unpredictable. It was 80 degrees and humid in 2021.

Any point to point course is logistically difficult compared to a loop course. NYC is pretty much the same.

Most people in Chicago don't care about the marathon and just complain about road closures. It is also a terrible place for tourists to visit with rampant day time crime in popular areas, especially downtown.

“There’s something in the Boston scene
So innocent, so tranquil,
It takes and holds my interest
The same as any bank will.

“For Boston’s not a capital,
And Boston’s not a place;
Rather I think that Boston is
A sort of state of grace.

”The people’s lives in Boston
Are flowers blown in glass;
On Commonwealth, on Beacon,
They bow and speak and pass.

“No man grows old in Boston,
No lady ever dies;
No youth is ever wicked,
No infant ever cries.

“No orthodox Bostonian
Is lonely or dejected,
For everyone in Boston
With everyone’s connected.”

-from E. B. White, Boston Is Like No Other Place in the World, Only More So

The fact that Boston is on a Monday allows me to take my kids out of school for the race and then get BIGLY social media cred when I pwn the school for counting this as an unexcused absence.

It is the oldest continuously run marathon in the world. It has qualifying times.

Sorry, as much as I enjoyed running Chicago, there were parts of the course with few people out.

Don't hate on it.

It's the oldest marathon in the US and the only one, aside from the Olympic Trials, that you have to qualify for. Heritage and the fact that not everyone gets to run it go a long way to explaining the prestige.