Registration for 113th Boston Marathon Opens September 3

Boston, Mass. – Online registration for the 113th Boston Marathon,
scheduled for April 20, 2009, began at 9:00 a.m. eastern time on
Wednesday, September 3. Held on Patriots' Day, a Massachusetts holiday,
Boston is the world's oldest annual marathon. Since 1986, the principal
sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial Services.

For the second consecutive year, the field will be limited to 25,000
entrants. In 2008 the field filled by late February and race organizers
expect the 2009 race to each its limit even faster.

To qualify for the 113th Boston Marathon, runners must meet the
designated time standard for their age group. Qualifying times must be
run on or after September 29, 2007 at a certified marathon. Qualifying
standards may be viewed at www.baa.org/BostonMarathon/Qualifying.asp.
Seeding of the race is based on qualifying times, which are subject to
review and verification. In 2008, runners with a qualifying time faster
than 3:35:00 began in Wave One of the race, while all others began in
Wave Two.

In addition to online registration, runners may download a PDF application at www.baa.org,
or request a hard-copy application by emailing registration@baa.org.
Entries will be accepted until the maximum field size of 25,000
athletes has been reached.

Official Boston Marathon Charity Program Adds Six New Organizations
The official Boston Marathon Charity Program recognizes a select group
of charities every year, providing each with entries to be used for
fundraising purposes. In 2008, more than 1,200 runners represented the
Charity Program's 24 organizations, combining to raise more than $11
million. The Boston Marathon Charity Program has now raised more than
$85 million over the past two decades.

Membership in the Charity Program is for a period of up to three
years, so while six charities took part for the final time in 2008, the
B.A.A. recently selected six new charities to participate in 2009.

New members of the Boston Marathon Charity Program:

• CYCLE Kids
• GoKids
• Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
• Perkins School for the Blind
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• WalkBoston

Returning organizations:

• American Liver Foundation, New England Chapter
• American Stroke Association-Tedy's Team
• Boston Living Center
• Boston Partners in Education
• Bottom Line
• Children's Hospital Boston
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Good Sports
• Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston, Inc.
• Home for Our Troops
• Lazarus House Ministries
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
• Melanoma Foundation of New England
• Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central New England Chapter
• The Esplanade Association
• The New England Center for Children, Inc.

Contact information and descriptions of each charity can be found on the B.A.A.'s Charity Program webpage at www.baa.org/BostonMarathon/Charity.asp. Applications will become available tomorrow, and runners of all ability levels are encouraged to apply early.

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 Services.