The Boston Marathon has a history of treating runners and fans to a variety of weather conditions in its 118-year history. The forecast for this Marathon Monday, however, suggests fans and participants will get to enjoy a rather ideal day.

Accuweather is calling for a steady mix of clouds and sun, with temperatures reaching the mid-50s on Marathon Monday. While slightly below average – it’s historically about 58 degrees in Boston on April 21 – cooler temperatures should provide participants with optimal running conditions.

According to a study by Jeff City Road Runners, athletes, in general, prefer cool temperatures in long-distance races, such as the Boston Marathon, which spans 26.2 miles, and warm temperatures for shorter distances.

In recent years, race-day temperatures have tended to sit somewhere between the high-40s to mid-50s; both 2012 and 2004 experienced uncharacteristically warm days. And remarkably, since 2000, the Marathon has only been burdened by rain once, in 2007.

Forecasts tend to change around here, so make sure to check for updates over the next couple of days. For now, however, it looks like the weather will do its part to assure an awesome 118th Boston Marathon.

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