Kara Goucher, of the United States, speaks with reporters during a newsconference for the 115th Boston Marathon, Friday, April 15, 2011, inBoston. The Boston Marathon is scheduled to run on Monday, April 18.Photo: Bizuayehu Tesfaye / AP
BOSTON (AP) — The 115th Boston Marathon has begun.
Thewheelchair field was first across the starting line in Hopkinton onMonday morning, followed by the elite women. Then the clock started onthe elite men and the sold-out field of 26,964 other runners traversingthe 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston's Back Bay.
Itwas the largest field for the race except for the 100th anniversaryrace in 1996. The unprecedented interest filled out the available spotsin just eight hours, breaking the previous record of 65 days andforcing race organizers to change the process for next year's race.
The Boston Athletic Association also changed the start so that the field goes off in three waves of about 9,000 runners apiece.
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