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S TA R T I N G L I N E S
BOSTON ON FOOT B Y A DA M EL D ER
Runners love to commemorate their racing accomplishments. (Can you think of a group of people that takes the cliché “been there, done that, got the T-shirt” more literally than runners do?) Shoe companies eventually caught on, and have increasingly started memorializing big races on shoes, as well—often with fun and wildly creative designs on these limited-edition treatments of their current lines.
The trend appears to have started way back in 1996, when adidas, which has sponsored the Boston Marathon since 1992, released the SL96 shoe with a Boston Athletic Association logo and a blue and gold colorway. Other companies eventually followed suit, and these days you can find them for sale at marathon expos and online ahead of the race for the Boston, New York City, Chicago
and Los Angeles marathons. Only a race’s official sponsors can display the race’s logo, but that doesn’t stop every other shoe brand from getting truly creative and reflecting the spirit of the race, the city or the region on the insides, outsides and outsoles of its shoes. Here’s a sampling of 2017’s special-edition releases ahead of the Boston Marathon.
Brooks Boston Launch 4
Nike Free RN Distance 2 BSTN
$110
$120
For more Boston Marathon themed shoes click here.
New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3 Boston
Saucony Boston Freedom ISO $160
HOW TO WATCH THE MARATHON Tips from TV announcer Craig Masback Former American middle-distance runner Craig Masback has one of the best second careers around: He makes the call for all of NBC Sports’ coverage of track and field and road racing—including five Olympic Games. On April 17, aside Tim Hutchings, Masback will be the co-commentator for the 121st Boston Marathon. We asked him for his take on this year’s race.
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WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT IN THIS YEAR’S BOSTON MARATHON?
The fact that the Americans have a legitimate chance to win both the men’s and women’s races. All three members of last summer’s U.S. Olympic marathon team—Galen Rupp, Meb Keflezighi and Jared Ward—are running. Desiree Linden, who finished in the top 10 in Rio and has run well in Boston in the past, is running. Also, the men’s race has the current world record holder, Dennis Kimetto, and a former world record holder, Patrick Makau, both of Kenya, as well as the defending Boston winner, Lemi Berhanu Hayle of Ethiopia.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FIRST-TIME BOSTON MARATHON VIEWER?
My best advice is patience, and, if possible, a commitment to watching the whole race. Boston is unique—there’s an unusual amount of action for a marathon because it’s so easy for runners to start the race at a fast clip due to the downhill nature of the first half of the race. However, running too fast too early inevitably leads to issues later in the race when the runners face a series of hills. If we do our job correctly, we’ll document the strategic elements of the race and the personal stories of the runners, which should give first-time viewers plenty to follow and several people to root for.
Skechers GOrun 5 Boston 2017 $130
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO MAKING A THREE-HOUR RACE DRAMATIC AND WATCHABLE?
In addition to what I said earlier, some of the best ways to make it “dramatic” are to shut up and let the natural sound of the race tell the story. No marathon in the world has a better, more knowledgeable crowd than Boston, and the enthusiasm of the crowd is compelling. This will be especially true if an American is a serious contender for the win.
The Boston Marathon airs live on Monday, April 17, at 8:30 a.m. EST on NBCSN, and will be live streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
SHOE PHOTOS OLIVER BAKER; CRAIG MASBACK PHOTO COURTESY NBCSPORTS; INTERVIEW BY ADAM ELDER
$115
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