Bob Hall (wheelchair Athlete)
Robert "Bob" Hall is an American wheelchair racer and wheelchair designer. He competed in the 1975 Boston Marathon, becoming the first official Marathon wheelchair champion. Early life Hall contracted polio as a child in 1952, which led to his use of a wheelchair throughout his life. Racing career In 1974, Hall placed first in the National Wheelchair Mile and National Wheelchair Marathon, and also won the Toledo Marathon in Ohio. Following his marathon victory in Toledo, Hall sought permission from the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) to compete in the Boston Marathon. Hall was granted permission to enter under official conditions. He was informed that if he completed the course in under three and a half hours, he would receive an official BAA Finisher’s Certificate. On April 21, 1975, Hall successfully completed the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 58 minutes, earning official recognition. His performance played a key role in convincing the BAA to formally recognize wh ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Greater Boston Track Club
The Greater Boston Track Club (usually abbreviated GBTC), a nonprofit organization, was started in 1973 by Jack McDonald in Boston, Massachusetts to provide coaching for runners looking to remain competitive beyond their collegiate running careers. During the past 30 years, the club has provided coaching and support to Olympic qualifiers, Boston Marathon victors, national cross-country champions, and national and world championship participants. It has also offered runners of all ages and abilities the opportunity to achieve their personal and team goals. Sponsored events *GBTC Indoor Track and Field Invitational – Annually held in January at Harvard Indoor Track, Cambridge, Massachusetts *GBTC Cross-country Invitational – Annually held in September at Elm Bank Park, Wellesley, Massachusetts Notable alumni List of notable Greater Boston Track Club athletes and coaches * Ayanna Alexander * Bruce Bickford * Jack Fultz * Samyr Lainé * Greg Meyer * Pete Pfitzinger * Anna P ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Polio
Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe symptoms develop such as headache, neck stiffness, and paresthesia. These symptoms usually pass within one or two weeks. A less common symptom is permanent Flaccid paralysis, paralysis, and possible death in extreme cases.. Years after recovery, post-polio syndrome may occur, with a slow development of muscle weakness similar to what the person had during the initial infection. Polio occurs naturally only in humans. It is highly infectious, and is spread from person to person either through fecal–oral route, fecal–oral transmission (e.g. poor hygiene, or by ingestion of food or water contaminated by human feces), or via the oral–oral route. Those who are infected may spread the disease for up to six weeks even if no symptoms are pre ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Boston Athletic Association
The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) is a non-profit dedicated to organized sports, with a focus on running, in the Greater Boston area. The B.A.A. hosts such events as the Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. 5K, the B.A.A. 10K, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, the B.A.A. Distance Medley (comprising the 5k, 10K, and half marathon events), and the B.A.A. Invitational Mile. The current mission of the B.A.A. is "to promote a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running" for all people. History Early years The Boston Athletic Association, one of the nation's oldest athletic clubs, held its first official meeting on March 15, 1887, and was incorporated later that year on May 12. The club was founded through the collaborative efforts of an eclectic group of former Civil War officers such as its first president, Robert F. Clark; the Irish poet, activist, and editor John Boyle O'Reilly; other noted sportsmen in Boston; members of prominent, wealthy Boston families, such as George Walk ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by eight cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was inspired by the success of the first marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics. The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. It is one of seven World Marathon Majors. Its course runs from Hopkinton in southern Middlesex County to Copley Square in Boston. The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has organized this event annually since 1897, including a "virtual alternative" after the 2020 road race was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race has been managed by DMSE Sports since 1988. Amateur and professional runners from all over the world compete in the Boston Marathon each year, braving the hilly Massachusetts terrain and varying weather to take ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon, currently branded as the TCS New York City Marathon for sponsorship reasons, is an annual marathon () that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 53,627 finishers in 2019 and 98,247 applicants for the 2017 race. Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors. The race is organized by New York Road Runners and has been run every year since 1970, with the exception of 2012, when it was cancelled due to the landfall of Hurricane Sandy, and 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race is held on the first Sunday of November and attracts professional competitors and amateurs from all over the world. Because of the popularity of the race, participation is chosen largely by lottery system The lottery is conducted through drawing from three pools, "N ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners (NYRR) is a non-profit running organization based in New York City whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. It was founded in 1958 by Ted Corbitt with 47 members and has since grown to a membership of more than 60,000. As of 2012, it was considered to be the premier running organization in the United States. History Following his establishment of the Road Runners Club of America in 1958, Ted Corbitt became the founding president of New York Road Runners later that year. Fred Lebow, co-founder of the New York City Marathon, served as president from 1972 to 1994. Under Lebow, other signature races, including the Mini 10K, 5th Avenue Mile, and Midnight Run, were established. Allan Steinfeld succeeded Lebow and was named technical director of the New York City Marathon, which he was credited with modernizing, in 1981. In 2005, Mary Wittenberg succeeded Steinfeld as president and CEO of NYRR. She also became the first female director of the New ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with a respective county. The city is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area. New York is a global center of finance and commerce, culture, technology, entertainment and media, academics, and scientific output, the arts and fashion, and, as home to the headquarters of the United Nations, international diplomacy. With an estimated population in 2024 of 8,478,072 distributed over , the city is the most densely populated major city in the United States. New York City has more than double the population of Los Angeles, the nation's second-most populous city. [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ed Koch
Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. Koch was a lifelong Democrat who described himself as a "liberal with sanity". The author of an ambitious public housing renewal program in his later years as mayor, he began by cutting spending and taxes and cutting 7,000 employees from the city payroll. He was the second Jewish mayor of New York, after his predecessor Abraham Beame. As a congressman after his terms as mayor of New York City, Koch was a fervent supporter of Israel. He crossed party lines to endorse Rudy Giuliani for mayor of New York City in 1993, Al D'Amato for Senate in 1998, Michael Bloomberg for mayor of New York City in 2001, and George W. Bush for president in 2004. A popular figure, Koch rode the New York City Subway and stood at street corners greeting passersby with the slogan "How'm I doin'?" ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Johnny Kelley
John Adelbert Kelley (September 6, 1907 – October 6, 2004) was an American long-distance runner who twice represented his native country at the Summer Olympics, in 1936 and 1948, and competed in the Boston Marathon over 50 times, winning in 1935 and 1945. He was often dubbed "Kelley the Elder" to avoid confusion with John J. Kelley (1930–2011; "Kelley the Younger"), winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon; the two men were not related. Biography Born in West Medford, Massachusetts, as one of ten children, Kelley ran track and cross-country at Arlington High School in Massachusetts. He did not finish his first Boston Marathon in 1928, but eventually competed in a record 61 Boston Marathons. Regarded as a legend of the marathon, Kelley won the 1935 and 1945 runnings of the Boston Marathon. He finished in second place at Boston a record seven times. Between 1934 and 1950, he finished in the top five 15 times at Boston, consistently running in the 2:30s. Kelley also ran the Yo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Greg Meyer
Greg Meyer (born September 18, 1955) is an American long-distance runner. Meyer's winning time for the 1983 Boston Marathon race was 2:09.00. He was the last American to win the Boston Marathon until 2014, and the last person born in America to win the Chicago Marathon until 2017. He set ten American road racing records and two world records, and won the River Bank Run, in his home town of Grand Rapids, seven times. Personal life Meyer was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to parents Rita and Jay. He has one older sibling, Matthew Meyer. Meyer is a 1973 graduate of Grand Rapids West Catholic High School. In 1977 he earned a degree in education and social studies from the University of Michigan. In 1986 he earned a Master of Education degree from Boston University. He met and married fellow runner Paula Lettis in 198while living in Boston and together they had three children, Nicolle (1981), Jacob (1983) and Daniel (198 Meyer and Lettis divorced in 2005 while living in Dexter, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bobbi Gibb
Roberta Louise Gibb (born November 2, 1942) is an American former runner who was the first woman to have run the entire Boston Marathon (1966). She is recognized by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) as the pre-sanctioned era women's winner in 1966, 1967, and 1968. At the Boston Marathon, the pre-sanctioned era comprised the years from 1966 through 1971, when women, who under Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) rules could not compete in the Men's Division, ran and finished the race. In 1996 the B.A.A. retroactively recognized as champions the women who finished first in the Pioneer Women's Division Marathon for the years 1966–1971. Gibb's run in 1966 challenged prevalent prejudices and misconceptions about women's athletic capabilities. In 1967, she finished nearly an hour ahead of Kathrine Switzer. In 1968 Gibb finished first among five women that ran the marathon. It was not until late 1971, pursuant to a petition to the AAU by Nina Kuscsik, that the AAU changed its rules a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bill Rodgers (runner)
William Henry Rodgers (born December 23, 1947) is an American runner, Olympian, and former record holder in the marathon. Rodgers is best known for his four victories in both the Boston Marathon, including three straight from 1978 to 1980, and 4 straight wins in the New York City Marathon, between 1976 and 1979. Biography Early life Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Rodgers moved to Newington, Connecticut, with his family when he was around five. He attended Newington High School, where he played hockey and baseball, along with his older brother Charlie. When Newington High School added cross country as a sport in the fall of 1963, sophomore Bill Rodgers decided to join. Running track and cross country under coach Frank O'Rourke, Rodgers ran the mile in 4:28:8, won the 1965 Connecticut state cross country title and finished seventh in the New England Cross Country Championships. He first ran a road race at the Manchester Thanksgiving Day 4.78 mile race in 1965. Despite his amazi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |