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The Boston Marathon is the oldest continually run marathon in the world and remains the only open marathon where the majority of runners must qualify for a spot in the race. The combination of history – and 117 years is a long history – and the difficulty of earning a spot at the starting line are enough to bring the race to the top of the list and give cause for notice.

Since 1986, John Hancock has acted as sponsor of the elite field and prize money at the Boston Marathon – and this support (including $806,000 of prize money and untold appearance fees for 2013 alone) combined with the history of the race ensure that the elite field is one of the greatest in the world and ensure the race is newsworthy. Over time, the fields have included many of the best in the world: world champions, Olympic champions, and always a crew of hopefuly American professionals – hoping to break the streak and become the first American in 20 years to wear the champion’s laurel wreath.

For 2013, John Hancock recruited ALL six American marathoners who had represented the USA at the 2012 Olympics – some announced to run the 2013 Boston Marathon even before the Olympics had taken place. That was to be part of the story – how all of America’s best would fare against the world – but injuries caused four of the six to withdraw from the field, leaving Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher as the Americans to watch.

The weather has often played a role at Boston, from the historic 1976 “run for the hoses” to the 2007 Nor’Easter that threatened to cancel the race, to the hot/hot/hot 2012 race… The weather has also been beneficial as played out in 2011 when a strong tailwind on the point-to-point course propelled the field to world’s best finishing times – ensuring the Boston Marathon on the top of the all-time lists for the forseeable future. But as the 2013 marathon approaches, race officials and those covering the marathon know weather should not be a factor – the day of the 117th Boston Marathon will just be a good racing day.

The Men’s Race
The Boston Marathon men’s field is always strong and the 2013 field is no exception. Despite late withdrawals of the three American Olympians and the 2011 runner-up and fastest man in the field, the starter list still features nine men who have run faster than 2:07 and three past champions: Wesley Korir (2012) and Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (2010) of Kenya and Deriba Merga (2009) of Ethiopia.

The 2013 race will once again add to the debate of whether Ethiopia or Kenya can produce the strongest runners. On paper, the Ethiopian contingent has the monopoly of best prior marathons with three men who had all bested 2:05. Lelisa Desisa Benti had run 2:04:45 at the Dubai Marathon in January, Gebre Gebremariam had run 2:04:53 for third place at the wind-aided 2011 Boston Marathon and Markos Geneti had run 2:04:54 at the 2012 Dubai Marathon. On a flat course, in good conditions, many feel that these Ethiopians have the advantage – but Boston does not always play by the rules.

Kenyans have won the Boston Marathon over the prior three years and not a single Ethiopian was seen in the top ten at the 2012 Boston Marathon (a hot year in which some runners also opted out of Boston en route to gaining an Olympics berth); and the Kenyans came prepared. Three Kenyans were enter the race with personal bests of better than 2:06: Levy Matebo had run 2:05:16 at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon, Dickson Chumba’s set a course record at the 2012 Eindhoven Marathon 2:05:46, and Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot set a previous course record at Boston in 2010 o 2:05:52. Any of these men could be strong contenders. Also in the field is notable marathon debutante Micah Kogo who was a past 10K world record holder and won the bronze medal at the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympics.

Most consider these to be the men to watch – with the addition of the two past champions, Korir and Merga. With perfect weather expected, none can say who of the group will be victorious, but it is certain that there will be a competitive race and it is nearly certain that the winner will be either Kenyan or Ethiopian.

The Women’s Race
As was the case with the men’s field, the Ethiopians in the women’s elite field are entering with the best previous best finishes. Three Ethiopians in the field have run sub-2:22. Meret Hailu Debele set the course record at the 2012 Amsterdam Marathon in 2:21:09; Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene ran sub 2:22 twice in 2012, first with a 2:21:40 win at the 2012 Paris Marathon and then a 2:21:19 runner-up finish at the 2012 Berlin Marathon – given that consistency in the prior year she is one to watch. And Mamitu Deska with her 2:21:59 win at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon rounds out the ranks of the top Ethiopians in the field. Alemitu Abera, with her 2:23:14 win at the 2012 Houston Marathon can also be counted on to be near the lead.

The Kenyan contingent at Boston will also be strong contenders. Rita Jeptoo, the 2006 Boston Marathon champion was out of running for a number of years and ran a poor 2012 Boston Marathon in the heat, but reemerged at the 2012 Chicago Marathon to take the runner-up spot in 2:22:04. Sharon Cherop, won the 2012 Boston Marathon in a heat-affected 2:31:50, but her 2:22:39 finish at the 2012 Dubai Marathon or 2:23:57 win at the 2012 Turin Marathon are more representative of her fitness. These Kenyans will hope to hold off the Ethiopian contingent.

The Boston Marathon had done a good job of recruiting the best Americans – including the full 2012 USA Olympic Marathon team to run the 2013 Boston Marathon. Desiree Davila, the 2011 Boston Marathon runner-up will not start due to injuries, but Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher will be America’s hope to regain the Boston title which has not been won by an American since 1985. Both of these two women – training partners – could become champion in the right sort of a race. For Goucher, this will be her third attempt at Boston: in 2009, she was hyped and hoped and expected to be the champion, but the race came down to the final stretch and she emerged in third place. To quote Goucher on her chances for 2013: “In 2009, I thought I could win and expected to win. This year I do think I can win, but I know it’s a longshot…I’m not stupid…”

Prize Money – Bonuses

World best bonus of $50,000 for men breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 from the 2011 Boston Marathon and women breaking Paula Radcliffe’s time of 2:15:25 from the 2003 London Marathon.

Course record bonus of $25,000 for men breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 set at the 2011 race and women breaking Margaret Okayo’s time of 2:20:43 set at the 2002 race.

Elite Lineup:

Male Elite Athletes

Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Boston
Wesley Korir (31)	KEN	1	2:06:13, Chicago, 2012	History
Lelisa Desisa Benti (23)	ETH	2	2:04:45, Dubai, 2013	History
Gebre Gebremariam (29)	ETH	3	2:04:53, Boston, 2011	History
Markos Geneti (29)	ETH	4	2:04:54, Dubai, 2012	History
Deriba Merga (33)	ETH	5	2:06:38, London, 2008	History
Levy Matebo (24)	KEN	6	2:05:16, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Dickson Chumba (27)	KEN	8	2:05:46, Eindhoven, 2012	History
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (25)	KEN	9	2:05:52, Boston, 2010	History
Raji Assefa (27)	ETH	10	2:06:24, Paris, 2012	History
Jeffrey Hunt (31)	AUS	14	2:11:00, Beppu, 2010	History
Jason Hartmann (32)	USA	15	2:11:06, Chicago, 2010	History
Fernando Cabada (31)	USA	16	2:11:53, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon, 2012	History
Robin Watson (30)	CAN	18	2:13:37, Rotterdam, 2012	History
Micah Kogo (27)	KEN	19	debut	History
Lucas Rotich (23)	KEN	N/A	debut	History
Moses Mosop (28)	KEN	N/A	2:03:06, Boston, 2011	History
Ryan Hall (31)	USA	N/A	2:04:58, Boston, 2011	History
Shami Abdullah Dawit (29)	ETH	N/A	2:05:42, Dubai, 2012	History
Laban Korir (28)	KEN	N/A	2:06:05, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Mebrahtom Keflezighi (38)	USA	N/A	2:09:08, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon, 2012	History
Abdihakem Abdirahman (36)	USA	N/A	2:08:56, Chicago, 2006	History
Eric Gillis (33)	CAN	N/A	2:11:27, Toronto Waterfront, 2011	History
Guor Maker (29)	USA/SSD	N/A	2:12:55, San Diego, 2012	History

Female Elite Athletes
Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Boston
Sharon Cherop (29)	KEN	1	2:22:39, Dubai, 2012	History
Meseret Hailu Debele (23)	ETH	2	2:21:09, Amsterdam, 2012	History
Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene (29)	ETH	3	2:21:19, Berlin, 2012	History
Mamitu Daska (30)	ETH	4	2:21:59, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Rita Jeptoo (32)	KEN	5	2:22:04, Chicago, 2012	History
Madai Pérez (33)	MEX	6	2:22:59, Chicago, 2006	History
Alemita Abera Begna (27)	ETH	7	2:23:14, Houston, 2012	History
Kara Goucher (35)	USA	9	2:24:52, Boston, 2011	History
Shalane Flanagan (32)	USA	10	2:25:38, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon, 2012	History
Ana Dulce Félix (31)	POR	11	2:25:40, New York City, 2011	History
Yolanda Caballero (31)	COL	12	2:26:17, Boston, 2011	History
Sabrina Mockenhaupt (33)	GER	14	2:26:21, Berlin, 2010	History
Diana Chepkemoi Sigei (26)	KEN	15	2:26:53, Dubai, 2011	History
Serena Burla (31)	USA	16	2:28:27, Seoul, 2012	History
Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce (29)	USA	17	2:29:35, Houston, 2011	History
René Kalmer (33)	RSA	18	2:29:59, Yokohama, 2011	History
Diane Nukuri-Johnson (29)	BDI	19	2:30:13, London Olympics, 2012	History
Alissa McKaig (27)	USA	20	2:31:56, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon, 2012	History
Aselefech Medessa Mergia (28)	ETH	N/A	2:19:31, Dubai, 2012	History
Tetiana Gamera-Shmyrko (30)	UKR	N/A	2:23:58, Osaka, 2013	History
Karolina Jarzynska (32)	POL	N/A	2:27:16, Yokohama, 2011	History

Prize Money
Prize Money – Overall
Place Men Women
1 $150,000 $150,000
2 $75,000 $75,000
3 $40,000 $40,000
4 $25,000 $25,000
5 $15,000 $15,000
6 $12,000 $12,000
7 $9,000 $9,000
8 $7,400 $7,400
9 $5,700 $5,700
10 $4,200 $4,200
11 $2,600 $2,600
12 $2,100 $2,100
13 $1,800 $1,800
14 $1,700 $1,700
15 $1,500 $1,500