The Boston Marathon, an annual tradition since 1897, rightfully attracts its very own superfans — many of whom show up to the course hours in advance, no matter the weather, to root for their favorite runners with enthusiastic cheers and homemade signs.
This year, the Marathon brought out nearly 30,000 runners and many more spectators, despite it being the coldest one in 30 years.
Robert Grey, 70, ran the Marathon almost every year from 1973–1982 and ran a couple of marathons after that, as well. He has attended 37 of the past 40 Boston Marathons, making him, what some might call, a superfan.
“If you’re out here in this weather, you must be a superfan,” Grey said, as he pulled the hood of his raincoat over his face.
Rain downpoured on spectators during Monday’s race as they cheered for runners across the 26.2 mile stretch.
“Back in my day, I knew all the runners because I was so involved in the sport,” Grey said. “Nowadays, I know a few.”
Superfans like Grey, who discovered he fell into that category after recalling his decades worth of Boston Marathon knowledge, convey the most enthusiastic energy at the race, come rain or shine.
“We don’t know the people like we once did,” Grey said. “Once upon a time, when we watched from here, we could call them all out by name: ‘Hey Joe! Hey Mike! Hey Sam!’”
The fans and the runners have a reciprocal relationship — runners excite the fans and the fans motivate the runners, he explained.
Before the race started, Shalane Flanagan, who finished sixth in the women’s race, tweeted, “Thank you in advance to all the volunteers who will be braving this weather today. The Runners really appreciate your help.”
Pat Carr, 64, is another longtime supporter of the Boston Marathon who has been coming to watch the race since 1973.
“We’re definitely superfans,” Carr said. “I mean we don’t know anyone who plays in any of those baseball games, but we know all the runners here.”
Carr, a Brookline native, is not just a superfan. She also ran the marathon when she was 59- and 60-years-old.
“I ran as a charity runner, and if you train, you can do it,” Carr said. “I dedicated years of training, and once you do it, it’s so thrilling.”
Other superfans held up motivational signs to support the runners: “Wicked hard, but you got this,” “Your mom is so proud,” “Energy Hi-Fives Here” and the classic phrase, “Boston Strong,” which became a popular saying of solidarity after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, were all scattered on signs around the race course.
Some fans took the opportunity to make the race political.
Spectators held signs that stated “You run better than our government” and “Run as if Trump was trying to grab your p***y.”
Dedicated fans of the Boston Marathon are not just limited to runners and Boston natives. All Massachusetts public schools had off for Patriots Day, giving families the opportunity to watch or participate in the race.
Additionally, with Boston being a college city, Marathon Monday has become a tradition for local college students as well.
T.K. Skenderian, director of communications for the Boston Athletic Association, wrote in an email to The Daily Free Press that some of the best fans of the race are Boston University students themselves.
While Boston University had the day off for Patriots Day and the marathon, some colleges, like Harvard University, were still in session. Harvard freshman Iris Lewis, however, still made time to attend the race.
Lewis, 18, said she had followed the Boston Marathon for years through live tweets and updates, but this was her first time getting the opportunity to watch it from Boston.
Lewis, who observed the race from just beyond the 25-mile marker in Kenmore Square, said she thought it was incredible to finally see the race in-person.
“I’ve been to a lot of running events before, but this is a different level,” Lewis said. “This is one of the world’s major marathons and to see Desiree Linden win meant so much for women in the running scene right now.”
Lewis was a distance runner in high school and maintained her dedication and fandom for the sport in college, to the point that she is training for her first marathon in May.
“Seeing these runners that I cared about so much competing at the highest level always meant a lot,” she said.
Brian Christensen, 31, of Dorchester, said although he didn’t make it outside to watch the marathon until the late afternoon, he still considers himself a superfan.
“I get to be there to witness these people’s crazy dreams coming true,” he said. “I’m here at Mile 25 to tell them that this is the final stretch … remind them of how far they’ve come and that they can do this.”
Christensen, who watched the race from Kenmore Square, held a sign that read “One mile to go! You got this!”
“It’s cool to see the really fast runners come through, but they’re expected to finish and do well,” Christensen said. “What’s really cool to see, though, is these people coming in at the end who you can really help motivate them to finish by cheering your heart out for them and making signs and doing all the things a good superfan should do.”
