Marathon Weekend Picks

Whether you’re a racer or a spectator, check out our schedule of events to make the most of this year’s Boston Marathon.

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You don’t have to have blisters on your feet to have fun at the Boston Marathon. Bystanders can enjoy a plethora of events, including pre-race dinners, viewing parties, festivals, award ceremonies, and much more. Have your own marathon running around town and stopping at as many of these activities as you can.

April 18-20

John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo
Apr. 18, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Apr. 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Apr. 20, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St.

[sidebar]More than 200 exhibitors touting the latest running gear will be spotlighted at this running expo, hailed as the country’s best by Runner’s World magazine.

 

Finish Line Flight
Apr. 18-19, 5-10:30 p.m.
Apr. 20, 5-10 p.m.
Prezza

Carb loaders looking to prep are invited to Prezza to chow down on three different pasta dishes for $30. The lineup includes spring pea raviolini with ham, mascarpone, and fresh peas, orecchiette with sausage, broccoli rabe, and extra virgin olive oil, and tagliatelle with clams and oregano.

April 19

B.A.A. Relay Challenge
April 19, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Boylston Street at Copley Square Park

Boston-area youngsters involved in Club 112, a year-round youth running program created by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) and Adidas, will participate in a series of age-group and team-oriented relay races. The kids will race down Boylston Street, and there will also be a relay where two members from each youth club will race with elite Adidas athletes.

 

April 20

2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Women’s Marathon
Apr. 20, 8 a.m.
Boylston Street, in front of the Boston Public Library

The B.A.A. is hosting the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the Women’s Marathon. The top three finishers will go to Beijing this summer as members of the U.S. Olympic Team. Fourteen elite athletes from New England have qualified for the trials, including 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor. Participants will complete four loops of approximately six miles each through Back Bay, across the Charles River and into Cambridge.

Finish Line Festival
Apr. 20, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Prudential Center

Join thousands for this annual two-day festival, which will celebrate both the running of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials on Sunday, as well as Monday’s Marathon. Watch the race live on the WZLX Comcast Jumbotron, enjoy live entertainment and food, and sample new products. Live music will be provided by The Chris Fitz Band and Revolver.

Official Boston Marathon Pre-Race Dinner
Apr. 20, 4:30-8 p.m.
Boston City Hall

Boston Marathon runners and their guests can pack in the pasta together the evening before the big run. Dinner will feature a buffet and live entertainment, and the Big Apple Circus will also perform mini-acts under the Big Top, on a first-come, first-served basis. As if running 26.2 miles wasn’t a circus act itself!

Marathoners will recieve a ticket with their official bib number. Additional tickets can be purchased at the Boston Marathon Number Pick-up area of the Sports & Fitness Expo.

 

Pre-Marathon-Carbo-Load Dinner
Apr. 20, 5:30-10 p.m.
Beacon Hill Bistro

Consume your carbs with class at the Beacon Hill Bistro. Executive chef Jason Bond will serve a healthy and gourmet selection of specials, including spaghetti alla chitarra, ravioli of braised organic rapini greens, and baked penne pasta.

MS Cure Fund Marathon Kick Off Party
Apr. 20, 6 p.m.
Vox Populi

Not a runner? Come celebrate the marathon with a kick off party at Vox Populi, which inludes light hors d’oeuvres and a sponsored bar.

 

 

Go on to the next page for all race-day activities…

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April 21

112th Boston Marathon
Apr. 21, 10 a.m.
Race Start: Hopkinton, MA
Race Finish: Outside the Boston Public Library at 700 Boylston St.

 

The world’s oldest annual marathon follows a 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Back Bay, finishing outside the Boston Public Library.

 

Hal’s Boston Marathon Day Ride
Apr. 21, 6 a.m.
Boston Central YMCA

Every Patriot’s Day since 1986, Hal Gabriel leads a group of cyclists to bike the Boston Marathon path, for a 52-mile round-trip ride from Boston to Hopkinton and back! The event is BYOB: Bring Your own Bicycle!

 

Marathon for the Social Athlete
Apr. 21, 8 a.m.-2 a.m.
Vox Populi

Ideally located right on the finish line, Vox Populi will open its doors at the crack of dawn–8 a.m. to be exact. The prime location will offer race-inspired cocktails, including Finish Line Mojito, Heartbreak Cocktail, and the Marathontini, passed hors d’oeuvres and a buffet, as well as the Vox Marath-Omelet, packed with every food group imaginable to prep for a long day of “running,” up your tab, that is.

 

Marathon Monday Brunch
Apr. 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Beacon Hill Bistro

Those hoping to fuel up for the day should run over to the Beacon Hill Bistro for a delicious and nutritious brunch, including favorites like scrambled eggs with crème fraÎche, smoked salmon and cheddar cheese and French toast with cider braised apples and spiced crème fraÎche.

 

Finish Line Festival
Apr. 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Prudential Center

Join thousands for this annual two-day festival, which is located right in the final .2 mile stretch to the finish line! Watch the race live on the WZLX Comcast Jumbotron, enjoy live entertainment and food, and sample new products. Live music will be provided by The
Chris Fitz Band and Revolver.

 

Celebrate on the Finish Line
Apr. 21, 11:30 a.m.
Atlantic Fish Co.

Atlantic Fish is open to the public, so guests can enjoy lunch and a refreshing cocktail right on the finish line. There is no cover and chef Tim Partridge will serve up a special race-day menu, including a raw bar, lobster rolls, jumbo lump crab cake melts, oyster po’boys, fried “day boat” scallops, and much more. Each item is priced individually.

GoKids! Celebrate the Boston Marathon
Apr. 21, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Boston Children’s Museum

Calling all future marathoners! Parents can psych kids up for the big race by teaching them all about the history and international appeal of the event with hands on activities and trivia.

Boston Marathon Awards Ceremony
Apr. 21, 5 p.m.
Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston

The champions and top age division finishers will receive their awards, courtesy of Long’s Jewelers, in the Grand Ballroom at the Fairmont Copley Plaza.

Post-Race Dance Party
Apr. 21, 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
The Roxy

If your legs can still handle it, prepare to dance the night away at the Roxy and Pearl nightclubs. A video of the race will be shown, and runners can check race results in a cyber cafe. A complimentary ticket is included with each official bib number. Additional tickets may be purchased at the B.A.A. Information Booth at the Hynes Convention Center. Also note that there will be continuous free shuttle bus service back and forth from major Boston hotels to the Roxy, starting at 7:30 p.m.