Boston Marathon essays
A collection of personal essays, opinion pieces and ideas published by WBUR's Cognoscenti over the years that discuss Boston's iconic marathon.
The Boston Marathon is every runner's dream, including mine
Barbara Moran, 53, has run five marathons, but the last one was 20 years ago. She gave up running regularly when arthritis began eating away at her knees. What if...
Running with hope: The Boston Marathon, 10 years after the bombings
The unthinkable happened when two bombs went off on Boylston Street 10 years ago. But the Boston Marathon has remained an event of human triumph -- that part didn’t change.
Kara Goucher is running for herself
I loved running before I knew I was good at it, and I'm glad I was good at it — it completely changed my life, writes American distance-running great Kara...
Watch out, Boston: The world's fastest marathoner is coming to town
Will Eliud Kipchoge achieve the unfathomable? A sub-2-hour marathon? Anything is possible, writes Barbara Huebner.
I’ll go for a run. That’s how I’ll mark this somber anniversary
I left before the bombs exploded. But I love Boston and the marathon, so what happened is personal, writes Alex Ashlock, who covered the marathon for WBUR in 2013.
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On Marathon Monday, I’ll be cheering the runners in the back of the pack
Tova Mirvis didn't think she could be a runner. Finishing a half-marathon, she writes, nudged her "toward an alternate idea of who I might be."
Extremism is a disease. Why don't we treat it like one?
Ten years after the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, our society sees extremism primarily as a moral and political issue, writes Myrieme Churchill. We are more preoccupied with showing our...
We want to hear from you: 10 years after the Boston Marathon bombing
We're working on a project reflecting back on the 10 years since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. How do we reclaim something we love, when it's forever marked by tragedy?...
When women weren't allowed, Sara Mae Berman ran Boston anyway
This year marks 50 years of women "officially" running the Boston Marathon. But by 1972, Berman was a seasoned pro — having won the race three times already.
Tatyana McFadden: 'Running together into a new future'
Tatyana McFadden is a 20-time Paralympic medalist and a 23-time major marathon winner. She's the only elite female athlete attempting to podium in five major marathons this fall, including Boston....
Des Linden: 'Running Rewards Consistency And Resilience. So Does Life'
The empty streets on this Patriots’ Day are exactly what we need, but it’s sad and disappointing, writes Des Linden. Keep your heads up. Lend a hand to the people...
I Won The Boston Marathon 50 Years Ago. Now I Run On Gratitude
There is no place on Earth I’d rather be than the wide, welcoming expanse of the Boston Marathon finish line, writes Amby Burfoot.
Kathrine Switzer: Running Gave Me The Courage To Try New Things
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with an official bib number.
The Redemption Of The Man In The Cowboy Hat
In the competing narratives of cowardice and courage emerging from the Boston Marathon bombings, perhaps none is as powerful as the story of Carlos Arredondo.