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Origin of Boston Marathon's Unicorn
According to the Boston Athletic Association: ".... While it is popular belief that in 1887 the BAA founders chose the Unicorn as the organization’s symbol due to its place in mythology (Chinese and other mythologies regard the figure as an ideal and something to be pursued but which can never be caught), it is more likely that the Unicorn was borrowed from the coat of arms from one of the BAA's first families. Still, the now iconic Unicorn stands for striving for excellence.... even it can never be achieved...."
(Source: BAA Website/FAQ http://www.baa.org/faq.aspx?keyword=unicorn)
According to ultra runner Ryan Anderson's blog: "..... Chosen by the founding members of the BAA in 1887 -- ten years prior to the inaugural Boston Marathon -- the Unicorn is believed to have been chosen as the organization's symbol due to its place in mythology. In Chinese and other mythologies, the Unicorn represents an ideal: something to pursue, but which can never be caught. In pursuit of the Unicorn, however, athletic competitors can approach excellence (but never fully achieve it). It is this pursuit to push oneself to his or her own limit and to the best of one's ability which is at the core of athletics. And for this reason, as the marathon matured, that the BAA also decided that the Unicorn would be the appropriate symbol for the marathon ..... "
According to ultra runner Ryan Anderson's blog: "..... Chosen by the founding members of the BAA in 1887 -- ten years prior to the inaugural Boston Marathon -- the Unicorn is believed to have been chosen as the organization's symbol due to its place in mythology. In Chinese and other mythologies, the Unicorn represents an ideal: something to pursue, but which can never be caught. In pursuit of the Unicorn, however, athletic competitors can approach excellence (but never fully achieve it). It is this pursuit to push oneself to his or her own limit and to the best of one's ability which is at the core of athletics. And for this reason, as the marathon matured, that the BAA also decided that the Unicorn would be the appropriate symbol for the marathon ..... "
(Source: http://ryan-in-boise.blogspot.ca/2011/04/boston-marathon-unicorn-symbol.html)
Heartbreak Hill
According to Wikipedia: "..... The nickname "Heartbreak Hill" originated with an incident in the 1936 race. On this stretch, defending champion John A. Kelley caught race leader Ellison "Tarzan" Brown, giving Brown a consolatory pat on the shoulder as he passed. His competitive drive apparently stoked by this gesture, Tarzan Brown rallied, pulled away from Kelley, and went on to win — in the words of Boston Globe reporter Jerry Nason, "breaking Kelley's heart....."
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Marathon)
Heartbreak Hill
According to Wikipedia: "..... The nickname "Heartbreak Hill" originated with an incident in the 1936 race. On this stretch, defending champion John A. Kelley caught race leader Ellison "Tarzan" Brown, giving Brown a consolatory pat on the shoulder as he passed. His competitive drive apparently stoked by this gesture, Tarzan Brown rallied, pulled away from Kelley, and went on to win — in the words of Boston Globe reporter Jerry Nason, "breaking Kelley's heart....."
4 comments:
It is going to be exceptionally warm in Boston tomorrow, even for an exceptionally warm winter we have had this year. So for those who plan to participate in the marathon tomorrow, particularly if you are amateur runners, better be prepared.
Hi shangri_la:
re Warm weather predicted for Boston Marathon on Patriots' Day
Thank you for the heads up, from a Bostonian no less :)
I have two Canadian friends down there now. After hearing the news of +30 deg C weather, they've pretty well dropped the idea of running a PB tomorrow.
From The Montreal Gazette April 15, 2012:
"….. The Boston Marathon, scheduled for Monday, has offered runners a chance to defer their registration to 2013 due to expected heat. Temperatures are expected to soar to 30 degrees celcius. ….. Unless you’ve trained in the heat, it’s really tough to run in the heat, something the Boston Athletic Association knows too well. In 2004, temperatures reached 29 degrees and 1,100 runners were treated in the medical tent …."
(Source: http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/04/15/boston-marathon-heats-up/
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