Marathon Monday in the ’90s Was Amazingly Animated
Marathon Monday in the ’90s. If you were lucky enough to be alive and kicking in Boston back in those days, there was nothing like it. I’m just going by…
15 Apr 1996: Moses Tanui of Kenya waves after winning the 100th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
Marathon Monday in the '90s. If you were lucky enough to be alive and kicking in Boston back in those days, there was nothing like it.
I'm just going by the photos and the stories, mostly. I spent the first part of the '90s in high school. Marathon Monday was always on Patriot's Day, of course.
And Patriot's Day always fell on the first Monday of April Vacation. I wasn't in school, but I never put two and two together and made the trek into Boston for the Marathon.
By the time the last half of the decade rolled around, I was in college. Northeastern University, baby! WRBB! Huntington Ave.! Just a few blocks from the Marathon route!
Do you think I ever took advantage of that? Of course I didn't. I was a commuter, so the Marathon was more of a hassle than anything else. Even if I had classes, I'd be steering clear.
Marathon Monday in the '90s Was Amazingly Animated
No, my Boston Marathon experiences didn't begin in earnest until the 2000s. I was the midday host at WBCN from 2003-2009, and would broadcast live each year.
Those were good times. I wrote about them here. And about the Boston Marathon broadcasts and parties that came in the years after. I love Marathon Monday. Always have.
I just wish I'd been able to experience Marathon Monday in the '90s. In digging through the photos you'll find below, I was overtaken by a true wave of nostalgia.
Can it be nostalgia if I didn't experience it, though? Either way, I've shared a handful of pics and memories from that colorful decade of yore. I hope you enjoy them.
Then, when you're done, let me take you on a Boston Marathon bar crawl. Marathon Monday is a holiday, after all.
BOSTON MARATHON
18 APR 1994: UTA PIPPIG OF GERMANY CROSSES THE FINISH LINE TO WIN THE WOMEN'' PORTION OF THE BOSTON MARATHON. PIPPIG SET A COURSE RECORD FOR WOMEN, FINISHING WITH A TIME OF 2:21.45. Mandatory Credit: Allsport/ALLSPORT
BOSTON MARATHON
18 APR 1994: COSMAS NDETI SPREADS HIS ARMS IN VICTORY AS HE CROSSES THE FINISH LINE TO WIN THE 1994 BOSOTN MARATHON Mandatory Credit: DARRELL INGHAM/ALLSPORT
BOSTON MARATHON
18 APR 1994: ALENA PETERKOVA OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC RUNS DOWN RUSTIC COMMONWEALTH AVENUE IN THE 25TH MILE OF THE BOSTON MARATHON. Mandatory Credit: Simon Bruty/ALLSPORT
BOSTON MARATHON
WHEELCHAIR RACERS ENROUTE TO THE FINISH OF THE BOSTON MARATHON. Mandatory Credit: Simon Bruty/ALLSPORT
Boston Marathon
15 APR 1996: Uta Pippig is crowned the winner of the women''s division of the100th runnning of the Boston Marathon. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman/ALLSPORT
Boston Marathon
15 Apr 1996: Moses Tanui celebrates after winning the100th running of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman/ALLSPORT
Boston Marathon
15 APR 1996: Jan Driscoll from Champaigne, IL wins the women''s whellchair division of the100th runnning of the Boston Marathon. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman/ALLSPORT
Boston Marathon
15 Apr 1996: Cosmas Ndeti #1 from Kenya was unable to claim his fourth consecutive Boston Marathon as he finishes third in the100th runnning of the Boston Marathon, Boston Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT
Moses Tanui
15 Apr 1996: Moses Tanui of Kenya waves after winning the 100th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
Franz Nietlspach
21 Apr 1997: Franz Nietlspach celebrates after winning the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. . Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Fatuma Roba
21 Apr 1997: Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia waves to the crowd after winning the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Her time was 2:26:23. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Lameck Aguta
21 Apr 1997: Lameck Aguta celebrates winning the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Boston Marathon
21 Apr 1997: View of the the Framing Ham Train Depot during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Boston Marathon
21 Apr 1997: View of runners entering Kenmore Squre during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport
Fatuma Roba
21 Apr 1997: Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia celebrates winning the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Her time was 2:26:23. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Boston Marathon
21 Apr 1997: View of runners entering Kenmore Squre during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport
Start
20 Apr 1998: A view of the start of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
Fatuma Roba
20 Apr 1998: Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia is the first woman to cross the finish line during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Roba finished with a time of 2:23:21. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Franz Nietlispach
20 Apr 1998: Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland is the first handicapped competitor to cross the finish line of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Nietlispach finished with a time of 1:21:52. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport
Boston University
20 Apr 1998: A general view of the competitors as they run past Boston University during the running of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
Moses Tanui
20 Apr 1998: Moses Tanui of Kenya waves to the crowd at an awards ceremony following the running of the 102nd Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Tanui was the first man to finish with a time of 2:07:34. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allspor
Starting line
19 Apr 1999: A view of the runners passing the First Congressional Church during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts.
Starting line
19 Apr 1999: A view of the starting line of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Heinz Frei #W1
19 Apr 1999: Heinz Frei #W1 crosses the finish line to win first place in the wheelchair race during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Fatuma Roba
19 Apr 1999: Fatuma Roba waves to the croud after finishing first in the womens division of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Louise Sauvage
19 Apr 1999: Louise Sauvage waves to the croud after finishing first in the women wheelchair race during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Joseph Chebet #2
19 Apr 1999: Joseph Chebet #2 of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Slapping Hands
19 Apr 1999: A view of a runner slapping kids hands as he runs by during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Starting line
19 Apr 1999: A view of the starting line of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Wheel Chair Finish
19 Apr 1999: A view of two wheel chair racers down the finishing stretch during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Police officer
19 Apr 1999: A Police Officer watches the runners as they pass Boston College during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
Runner
19 Apr 1999: A view of a runner as he passes the First Congressional Church during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts.
Starting line
19 Apr 1999: A view of the start in the wheel chair race during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.
