April 21, 2014

Boston Marathon Begins, One Year After Bombings: Nearly 36,000 runners are participating in the 118th Boston Marathon today, making it the second-largest field in event history. Accommodations were made for 5,000 runners stopped on the course last year to have another chance to compete. Reuters is live-blogging the race.

posted by rcade to general at 10:29 AM - 2 comments

I enjoy it when aggressive branding moments go off the rails, so I savor the annual rite that unfolds when the men's and women's winners cross the finish line and are immediately accosted by a race official who attempts to drape them in a logo-festooned John Hancock towel, no doubt on strict orders of the principal race sponsor.

It's often an awkward moment with no audio, the official insisting on putting the towel on the champion, and the champion reacting as if to say: "I just ran 26 miles - will you get the hell away with that towel, already?"

There's a mild defensive flailing of runner's arms and repeated attempts to get the friggin' towel over the sweaty shoulders. Then, if all goes well, the champ eventually accepts the towel and spreads his/her arms wide and shows the towel like Batman's cape.

Someday, the towel bearer is going to pester the wrong person at the wrong moment and find himself getting a terrycloth colonic on live TV.

posted by beaverboard at 02:27 PM on April 21, 2014

I would definitely tune in for that.

posted by Hugh Janus at 07:54 PM on April 21, 2014

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