Small Town Is Big Launch Site for Boston Marathon

As elite runners demand higher paydays in the world of long distance running, the 8,000 residents of the small town where the Boston Marathon starts offer a soothing retreat into amateurism.

“Without us, the race wouldn’t have its tradition and flavor and would not have its country start,” said Robert Phipps, a second-generation Hopkinton resident who coordinates the marathon’s picturesque start.

The tiny hamlet is a New England cliche. Hopkinton’s tall, white-steepled clapboard church looms over the village green in the center of town where mom-and-pop stores line Main Street.

The hoopla surrounding the April 20 race stretches from the starting line 26 miles and 385 yards to its downtown Boston finish line, but the topics of discussion are worlds apart.

In the city, the talk is of the best marathon field assembled since the 1984 Olympics. Two runners have broken 2 hours, 8 minutes at the distance, including Aussie Rob de Castella who won Boston last year in 2:07:51.

Back in the western suburbs--what some may even consider the sticks--concerns center around the 6,000 rearguard entrants all shooting for personal goals in prestigious event.

“We really don’t pay much attention to the finish. We always say that if there isn’t a start, there isn’t a finish,” said Phipps, a 36-year-old insurance agent who moonlights as a marathon volunteer--and loves it.

“We do it on a voluntary basis--we don’t have our hand out,” he explained. “We don’t get paid for this. The town does not profit, except on the good intention side of the ledger.”

The spoils are saved for the runners, who compete for $347,000 in prize money. The first man and woman finishers each receives $40,000 cash and a $31,000 Mercedes Benz, making the Boston Marathon purse the grandest in road racing. Incentives for records total $75,000.

Challenging de Castella are No. 1 ranked marathoner Juma Ikangaa of Tanzania, former world-record holder Steve Jones of Wales, two-time Boston winner Geoff Smith of England, 1981 winner Toshihiko Seko of Japan and 1983 winner Greg Meyer of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Also in the field are Irishman John Treacy, winner of the 1984 Olympic silver medal in his first marathon attempt; Bill Rodgers, the four-time winner of both Boston and New York; Pete Pfitzinger of Wellesley, Mass., the top American at the 1984 Olympics; and several others capable of choreographing an upset.

For the women, Joan Benoit Samuelson of Freeport, Maine, had planned to return to Boston for the first time since setting a then-world record 2:22:43 in 1983 but withdrew because of an injury. Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen, last year’s winner who is skipping this race, lowered the world mark to 2:21:06 at the 1985 London Marathon.

Benoit, who is expecting her first child in October and has had problems with ankle and foot injuries since winning the gold medal in the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, suffered a hip injury three weeks ago.

That leaves Olympic marathon bronze medalist Rosa Mota of Portugal as the top-ranked woman. Also competing are Olympian Lisa Martin of Phoenix; 1985 Boston winner Lisa Larsen Weidenbach of Battle Creek, Mich.; 1984 winner Lorraine Moller of New Zealand, and 1980 winner Jacqueline Gareau of Canada.