BOSTON (WHDH) - The start of the 123rd Boston Marathon is hours away and the city held several events Sunday to prepare for the big race.
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Police Commissioner William G. Gross helped put the finishing touches on the annual pasta dinner, dishing out scoop after scoop to hungry runners at City Hall.
Around 300 volunteers have gathered to serve more than 4,000 pounds of pasta, and 1,600 pounds of meatballs and sausages on the eve of the marathon.
“Talking to people from Australia, Brazil and Kansas City; all over the country and all over the world they come here to run this marathon,” Walsh said.
People like Jeff Smart, of Ottowa, Canada, who will be participating in his tenth marathon on Monday.
“This is probably the best one I have been to,” Smart said. “Everyone is just so enthusiastic. The people of Boston are so great.”
Walsh said he is looking forward to tomorrow and hopes the rain and wind will hold off until after the last runner crosses the finish line.
The forecast for the event remains bleak, however, runners are taking this in stride saying they are just excited for the big race.
“It’s number one, and the reason is, I have run almost six marathons now and the question always is, ‘have you run Boston?” One woman said. “And now, after tomorrow, I can say, ‘I have run Boston.”
More than 30,000 people will be at the starting line when the race kicks off at 8:30 a.m.
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