Boston Marathon 2014: Date, Map And Early Preview Of The Famed Race

Tuesday, April 15 marks the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, which saw three people killed and over 260 injured. Just six days after the anniversary of the tragic event, the 2014 Boston marathon is set to get underway.

The race will begin on the morning of Monday, April 21 on Main Street in Hopkinton. It will follow Route 135 to Route 16, and continue to Commonwealth Avenue. The event will conclude near the John Hancock Tower in Copley Square. (Click here for the complete map of the 26.2-mile course.)

Because of last year’s bombing, officials have announced new public safety measures for the 2014 race. According to Mayor Martin Walsh and Police Commissioner William Evans, more police officers will man the marathon route. Over 100 cameras have been put in place to observe the crowd, and 140 emergency medical service personnel will be in the area.

Only 17,600 people were able to cross the finish line in 2013, as the bombing prevented 5,633 from doing so. This year, more than twice as many runners could end up finishing the race. Approximately 36,000 people are expected to compete in the 2014 marathon.

Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa won the marathon a year ago, finishing with a time of two hours, 10 minutes and 22 seconds. For the women, Rita Jepto of Kenya came in first, completing the course in just over two hours and 26 minutes.

Shalane Flanagan, who grew up in Massachusetts, had the best showing of any American in 2013, finishing in fourth place. Along with Flanagan, American Ryan Hall will compete in this year’s marathon. He holds the American record of 2:04.58, which he set in 2011. In 1983, Greg Meyer became the last person born in the United States to win the race.

Monday marks the 118th running of the event. The field will be the second-largest in the marathon’s history, falling short of the over 38,000 entrants in 1996 for the 100th running of the race.