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In 1986, when John Hancock became the first professional sponsor of the B.A.A. Boston marathon, the field was a humongous 6,600 people, I believe. Then chairman of John Hancock David D’Allesandro, always quotable, said, “For three million dollars a year, I own the city of Boston for one day.” And right he was.

The most iconic and historic marathon in the world was dragged, kicking and screaming from some, into the modern world of road racing. That past few years have been full of ups and downs for Boston and its fans.

But 2015 brought the race full circle. The ebullient Caroline Rotich showed us that it was okay to truly celebrate a hard fought win. And Lelisa Desisa, who had won in 2013, and gave his medal and some of his prize money back to the marathon he loves, came back won in 2015, and took the medal home: his second win, and his first medal.

But it is the Boston marathon, its fans, its sponsors, the BAA, its city that we salute, in wind, cold and rain, that make this race an institution and fitting of being the RBR Event of the Month for April.

The Boston Marathon has earned it each and every year, but 2015, was just a bit more special and poignant.

and, as the voice over noted, ” a day for Boston.”

Thanks to the Shoe Addicts for developing this video as they always do for RunBlogRun Awards.

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself."

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