Top Ten Landmarks on the Boston Marathon Course

With Boston now only three weeks away, and my last 20 miler only minutes away after I finish this list, I present my TOP TEN LANDMARKS on (or very near) the Boston marathon course. There are more famous ones, I guess, but these are the ones you should watch for if you want the real essence of the race from my point of view.. The mile mark in parentheses is the approximate location on the course.

10. (11.0, 16.0) Wellesley is a dry town. Note "Town Line Liquors" in Natick, 100 meters before the town line sign that indicates you're entering Wellesley. Note "The Lower Falls Wine Shop" about 40 meters after you cross out of Wellesley and into Newton. Every entrance to Wellesley has a liquor store inches away, except when you go to Needham, which is also dry.

9. (-0.2) The old starting line on Hayden Rowe Street. Most people now see this only as the way to get down to the start, but those of us who started running Boston as early as I did (1977) remember when you started, went about 200 meters, and turned right onto Route 135. They moved the finish down from the Prudential to Copley Square to compensate for taking out that turn.

8. (25.2) Kenmore Square t-stop and the huge crowds that come out from the early ball game at Fenway Park. Just a mile to go, and it's a mile that is architecturally dull; this is the last cool thing to see near the finish.

7. (13.2) There's a little bakery on the right just at the end of the Wellesley downtown area that's got fabulous and inexpensive soup/sandwich lunch deals. It's like an AuBonPain that's not expensive. I guess 15 or 20 years ago I'd have mentioned the women of Wellesley, but now I'm married to a wonderful Wellesley woman, and sandwiches reign supreme in my thoughts through town.

6. (0.8) There's a very woodsy section with no guard rail, very few spectators and plenty of cover, right at the bottom of a little dip. Perfect for that "Shoulda waited for the Porta-potty one more time" feeling.

5. (27.2) Clery's pub, formerly the Claddagh. You've run the race, picked up the baggage, changed the clothes, gimped a mile through the crowds...you deserve a beer! And some wings. The onion rings are good too. This is where I see Doug Burdi and we promise to keep in touch until the next year, but we don't. Then we meet here again.

4. (5.3) Between Ashland and Framingham is an area that's so dull, I can't think of anything memorable about it. It sort of stands out as interesting, because it's the least interesting part of the course. I'll have to look around here this year and see if I can spot anything worthwhile.

3. (20.6) Intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Crosby Road, Newton. This is where I took a break during the 1990 race and had a turkey sandwich and a ginger ale with my friends Rick and Chris Reilly. It was hot, I was tired, the sandwich and the ginger ale tasted great. I used to think I had "dropped out" of the 1990 Boston at that point, but I went back there in March of 1998 and ran to the finish.

2. (22.2, 23.5) A tie between two of the great locations in the race... Cleveland Circle and Coolidge Corner. Both spots are packed with fans, busy with trolley traffic, and convey a lively urban atmosphere after over two hours in the suburbs. And, after 23 Bostons, I still never can remember which spot is which, or even if I put the names together in the right way. Cleveland Corner? Coolidge Circle? Cleveland Coolidge? I'm always too out of oxygen by then to remember.

AND, the number most interesting spot on the course in my humble opinion:

1. (7.8) The Wendy's near the Framingham/Natick line. This is the only spot on the course where you can see behind you for a long way. It's near the top of a little rise, the road is straight for miles leading up to this spot, and there aren't many people watching. After feeling like you're in 1000000th place since the gun went off, this is where you can look back and see several thousand people behind you for a mile and a half. This is the one place where you should ignore the great Satchel Paige's otherwise outstanding advice and look back...they're not all gaining on you!

-- Rick Cleary