They're off! 114th Boston Marathon

The elite women just took off, the men are about to go next. Marathon Monday is one of the most inspirational events around, and not just because most New Englanders get a day off of work [picture courtesy of Lisa Poole, AP].

A few fun facts about the Boston Marathon, from the Boston Globe:

• This year's field has 26,728 participants. The first race, in 1897, had 18 competitors.
• The oldest competitor this year is 83-year-old Regina Tumidajewicz of Amsterdam, N.Y. She began running at the age of 54, and in nearly 30 years has competed in more than 700 road races, including more than 50 marathons.
•  18% of the total field are foreign entries. The US has the most participants, followed by Canada with 2,503 runners. There are 316 Brits, 217 Germans, 168 Mexicans, 163 Italians, 152 South Koreans, 146 Japanese, 119 French, and 103 Irish. 

 -Connie