B.A.A.
Half Marathon Registration To Open July 18,
2012
Field
of 7,000 Expected To Fill Quickly.
BOSTON
ÛÓ The Boston Athletic Association
(B.A.A.) will open registration for the 2012 B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
and the Jimmy Fund, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. ET on the
event’s website, BAA.org. The
twelfth edition of New England’s premier half
marathon is set for Sunday, October 7, 2012, and will be the final race in the
inaugural B.A.A. Distance Medley.
The B.A.A. Half Marathon begins in Boston’s
scenic Franklin Park at 8:30 a.m. on the Sunday
of Columbus Day weekend.
The
race highlights the beauty of Boston and
Brookline’s
Emerald Necklace park system while furthering the B.A.A.’s mission of promoting
health and fitness. After its start in Franklin
Park, the race takes runners along the Emerald Necklace park system
on an out-and-back route that puts autumn’s foliage on full display.
The
B.A.A. Half Marathon is presented annually by
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund. Through its Running the Race
Against Cancer® team of participants, nearly 600 runners will advance cancer
research and improve patient care through their fundraising efforts.
Registration for the Dana-Farber Team is now open.
In
addition to the nearly 7,000 runners expected to compete, a field of
international athletes will vie for a combined prize purse of $38,400.
Additionally, $100,000 will also be awarded to the male and female atop the
B.A.A. Distance Medley standings after the conclusion of the B.A.A. Half
Marathon.
The
B.A.A. Half Marathon marks the third and final
race of the B.A.A. Distance Medley, a three-race series which combines the B.A.A. 5K on April 15, the B.A.A. 10K on June 24, and
the B.A.A. Half
Marathon on October 7 to crown a male and female series
champion. Scoring for the B.A.A. Distance Medley is based on cumulative
time across all three races. The male and female
competitors with the fastest total time at the end of the series each will win
$100,000. The aggregate scoring system is intended to maximize interest in the
series among runners, the general public, and the media. With only one race
remaining, four men are within seconds of each other and three women remain in
contention for the title.
Since
the race’s inception in 2001, the B.A.A. has directed a portion of the entry
fees towards the Emerald Necklace Conservancy which works to preserve, maintain,
and promote the historic park system. The Emerald Necklace park system was
developed by America’s first
landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, and the B.A.A. Half Marathon features recreational use and appreciation of the
landscape, waterways and parkways as they were intended at the time of design in
the late 1800s. The Franklin Park Zoo also has been an attraction of the B.A.A.
Half Marathon since the event’s inception in
2001.
Established
in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a healthy
lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the
world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events
and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston
Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The
Boston Marathon is part of the World Marathon
Majors along with the Virgin London Marathon, BMW
Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago
Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon.