BOSTON — The Boston Marathon will add a commemorative relay this year to mark the 100th anniversary of the year World War I interrupted the regular, 26.2-mile race. Sixteen active and retired members of the military will pass a baton along the course on April 16 while 30,000 runners make their way from Hopkinton to Boston. The relay runners will represent five branches of the service and all eight cities and towns along the course. The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual race at the distance. But in 1918, with many of the nation’s fittest men at war, the Boston Athletic Association staged a 10-man relay to keep the tradition going.

Source: National Post March 15, 2018 16:52 UTC