This past April, the Boston Marathon attracted more than 32,000 runners and approximately half a million spectators. With such a huge crowd on hand, it’s easy to think that the athletes’ major source of support comes from fans of the sport. More than a million people annually run marathon races, and most of them have a team of people behind them.
Marathoners rely on the strengths of a community of people. Families, coaches, marathon volunteers, race directors and health professionals dedicate time and energy to the runners’ dreams. And each group protects the health of the athletes in a different way. These unsung heroes make the impossible possible and they do it because the sport of long-distance running is a community endeavour.
