Hansons-Brooks Prepares for Boston

Hansons-Brooks news release by David Jankowski Hansons-Brooks athletes are making their final preparations leading up to the 2009 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20. Hansons athletes will be among the 22,000-plus competitors who have qualified to run the legendary, Boston course.

The Hansons will be sending six athletes to compete in the 113th annual Boston Marathon, including 2008 Olympian Brian Sell. Hansons-Brooks athletes will compete in the elite men's portion of the race, which will begin at 10:00 A.M., 30 minutes before the start of the general marathon.

Boston boasts a stellar elite field that includes three United States Olympians and eight Olympians from four other countries. Course record holder, Robert K. Cheruiyot of Kenya is also scheduled to compete on Monday. Cheruiyot set the course record in 2006 when he finished the marathon course in a time of two hours, seven minutes and 14 seconds.

Beginning in 1897, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon. It started with a mere 18 competitors and has grown to include over 20,000 runners and estimates of over 500,000 spectators from across the globe, according to the Boston Athletic Association. The marathon race covers 42.195 kilometers or 26 mile and 385 yards on a point-to-point course from Hopkinton to Boston, Mass.

Boston is one of the few marathons, world-wide, that has a qualification standard. Runners across the United States train in hopes of hitting the enchanting marks. Time qualification standards are based on age and gender rankings decided by the B.A.A.

The Boston Marathon has been held on Patriot's Day, since its commencement, to celebrate the holiday. Between 1897 and 1969 the marathon was held on April 19, unless the 19th fell on a Sunday. In 1969, Patriot's Day was officially recognized as the third Monday in April.