As the oldest consecutively run marathon and one of the most prestigious road races in the world, the Boston Marathon is a goal for many runners and has a special place in many marathoners’ hearts.
The Boston Marathon usually runs on the third Monday in April, which is Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts.
Runners journey from the small town of Hopkinton to the finish line in Boston, while being cheered by thousands of spectators along the way. I’ve run the Boston Marathon twice and I’ll never forget how inspired I felt by immense support through the course.
Here are some thoughts about this epic race, as well as running quotes from some Boston Marathon champions.
1. “When I go to the Boston Marathon now, I have wet shoulders – women fall into my arms crying. They’re weeping for joy because running has changed their lives. They feel they can do anything.”
–Kathrine Switzer, first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon in 1967
2. “The race is literally 26 miles of people lining the roads thinking you are the greatest person on earth.”
-Joe McFarren
3. “I’ve run the Boston Marathon 6 times before. I think the best aspects of the marathon are the beautiful changes of the scenery along the route and the warmth of the people’s support. I feel happier every time I enter this marathon.”
-Haruki Murakami, author of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
4. “It was so thick with spectators you couldn’t even see how the hills went up. It was just this mass of humanity, people hanging out of trees or whatever.”
-Dick Beardsley, runner-up in the 1982 Boston Marathon, on the Boston Marathon crowds
5. “The Boston Marathon is a race that has captured my heart from day one. The road from Hopkinton to Boston is technical, challenging and deserves to be respected— it’s a place where true racers thrive.”
-Des Linden, 2018 Boston Marathon women’s winner
6. “Get going. Get up and walk if you have to, but finish the damned race.”
-Ron Hill to Jerome Drayton during the 1970 Boston Marathon
7. “Every serious marathoner should do Boston, to experience the close to a million spectators, the three generations of families out cheering, the little kids handing you water or orange slices. The whole city really appreciates the runners.”
-Neil Weygandt, who finished 45 consecutive Boston Marathons
8. “I was motivated to win the Boston Marathon not only for myself but for the Portuguese people of Boston. They were with me all the way and made winning the race the nicest moment of my life.”
-Roa Mota, three-time winner of Boston Marathon and Olympic gold medalist
9. “The Boston Marathon has had more to do with liberating and promoting women’s marathoning than any other race in the world.”
-Joe Henderson, running writer
10. “Wicked fast runnah”
-seen at the Boston Marathon expo
11. “To be a champion in Boston is very special and for me it has even more meaning because it took me quite some time to be competitive enough to win the oldest marathon in the world. I can’t wait to be back to enjoy the great atmosphere!”
-Evans Chebet, 2022 Boston Marathon champ
12. “The marathon can humble you.”
-Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston Marathons
13. “Take it all in as the people of Boston will carry you to the finish line whether you need help or not!”
-Peter Riddle
14. “I thought about how many preconceived notions would crumble when I trotted along for 26 miles.”
-Bobbi Gibb, first woman to finish the Boston Marathon, 1966
15. “You start as a runner. You finish as a Boston Marathoner.”
-sign seen at the Boston Marathon expo
16. “Give it hell down the hills! Give it hell down the hills!”
– Jock Semple to Amby Burfoot, en route to his 1968 win
17. “The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy…It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.”
–Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ
18. “Anybody can be a runner… We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It’s the easiest sport.”
–Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston marathons
19. “I saw the Prudential Center Tower from about two miles out, but for quite a while I thought it was a mirage. I kept seeing it and I thought I’d never get there.”
-Neil Cusack, Ireland, 1974 Boston Marathon winner
20. “It’s the quintessential marathon; it challenges you the way a marathon should. Boston is the place you race if you want to learn about both your ability and your resolve.”
-Des Linden
21. “Your place in history is almost secure.”
–Adidas sign at mile 23 of the Boston Marathon
22. “Somewhere in the world, someone is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win.”
-sign on Tom Fleming’s wall when he was training for the Boston Marathon
23. “I actually had people running up next to me offering me shots. All this crazy stuff. And no, I didn’t take any of it.”
-Will Ferrell, on running the Boston Marathon
24. ‘If this race is for ‘men only,’ why doesn’t it say ‘men only’ on the entry blank?”
-Nina Kuscsik (in 1969), first woman to officially win the Boston Marathon in 1972
25. “I’m not prejudiced against women; they just can’t run in my race!”
-Jock Semple, Boston Athletic Association official on why he tried to prevent Kathrine Switzer from running the Boston Marathon
26. “It’s time to keep enjoying the best day in running history.”
-Amby Burfoot
27. “Don’t confuse it getting hard with it being not your day. You should expect it to be hard. It’s a hard event. You can still have a really great experience.”
-Des Linden
28. “If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.”
-Kathrine Switzer
29. “There’s nothing like Marathon Monday. Watching the race, I’d get so caught up in the energy of the crowds and how the city comes out to support the runners. Running a marathon is obviously very tough but hopefully I can use that energy to keep me going.”
-Molly Seidel, bronze medalist, 2021 Olympic women’s marathon
Marathon Running Advice
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- 6 Tapering Mistakes to Avoid
- Mental Tips for Marathon Running
- How to Finish Strong in a Marathon
More Running Quotes
Running coach, marathon runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
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