Boston Marathon marks 50th anniversary of welcoming women

By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Marathon returns to its traditional Patriots Day spot on the schedule on Monday with one of the strongest women’s fields in its history. That’s fitting as the event celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first official women’s race. Five of the eight women who ran in the pioneering 1972 field are in town to help celebrate. It’s been three years since the Boston Marathon took to streets in the spring. The 2020 race was canceled because of the pandemic and last year’s was postponed six months for the first fall Boston Marathon ever.