Boston Marathon Expo Opens As Thousands Of Runners Arrive
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Marathon Expo officially opened Friday morning and runners were excited to pick up their bibs.
Karen Gordon couldn't wait to get here from California. This year marks the eighth time she is running Boston.
"I look forward to this all year long," Gordon told WBZ-TV. "I am running in memory of my mom, who just passed from pancreatic cancer."
Dr. Diana Perry is running on behalf of South Shore Hospital.
"It's like walking on cloud," Dr. Diana Perry said. "I feel really grateful to be running for mental health services."
Inside, hundreds of brands and gear are on display for the 30,000 runners from all over the world who will participate in the 26.2 mile trek.
"Everything a runner might need for Monday, we have footwear, we have apparel, we have accessories. Really anything you can need, even dependent on weather -- shorts, tights, hats -- we have it all," said Jennifer Thomas with Adidas.
At the Expo this year, they are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the women's race being official. There are a number of items on display that showcase that special heritage.
"We have a few pieces from the late 1960s. What Bobbi Gibb in 1966, what Kathrine Switzer was wearing in 1967, all through the decades and up to the present," said Boston Athletic Association Chief Operating Officer Jack Fleming.
For so many of these runners, the Expo and being on Boylston Street at the finish line is a spring time tradition.
"There is something special about Boston, and especially the marathon," Thomas said. "And we cant wait until Monday."
And of course, none of this is possible without the 9,000 B.A.A volunteers who serve these runners with great joy and make sure their all set.
