It’s the first week of April, Boston, which means the 2014 Boston Marathon is almost upon us. Though you can expect a number of logistical changes surrounding the race, the Boston Strong mantra will ring true for every athlete, spectator, volunteer, first responder and home viewer. The 26.2 mile course will accommodate an extra 9,000 runners and is poised to break attendance records, exemplifying how a race can ascend the realm of athletics to embody the fortitude, resilience and optimism of not just an entire city, but an entire country. Everyone, everywhere, has something to cheer for this year.

So here you have it, Boston: Your comprehensive planning guide for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

Click the links below to jump to each section:

Route

The starting gun will go off in Hopkinton, Mass., and generally wind downhill for about 16 miles. Runners will take Route 135 through neighboring Framingham, Natick and Wellesley.

Route 135 then turns on to Route 16 through Neton Lower Falls to Commonwealth Avenue, turning right at the fire station onto Commonwealth, which is Route 30. This is where things get tricky.

Ever hear of Heartbreak Hill? It’s a real bear, ascending almost half a mile between mile 20 and 21 out by Boston College. It’s the highest elevation runners achieve since about the three-mile mark. The hill itself is the last of four in Newtown, thereby posing the hardest, and possibly most rewarding challenge, for runners.

The course then turns on to Beacon Street continuing through Kenmore Square before hitting Commonwealth Avenue inbound. Finally, a right onto Hereford Street leads to a left onto Boylston Street and the finish line at Copley Square.

The schedule is as follows:

  • Mobility Impaired: 6 entrants, 8:50 a.m.
  • Wheelchair Division: 30 entrants, 9:17 a.m.
  • Handcycles: 24 entrants, 9:22 a.m.
  • Elite Women: 50 entrants, 9:32 a.m.
  • Elite Men Wave One: 9,000 entrants, 10:00 a.m.
  • Wave Two: 9,000 entrants, 10:25 a.m.
  • Wave Three: 9,000 entrants, 11:00 a.m.
  • Wave Four: 9,000 entrants, 11:25 a.m.

Where to Eat & Drink Along the Route

As exciting the Marathon is and as supportive as you’ll be, we know that you’re going to need some nourishment. There are plenty of watering holes strung alongside the course route. In order to keep from getting completely famished, here are a few of our suggestions for food and drink.

Around Mile 2:

T.J. Spirits

Most people might consider the more urban section of the Marathon course to be the only one with eateries and barrooms. Around Mile 2, at 355 Union St. in Ashland, there sits T.J. Spirits. This local bar offers affordable food and drink prices with an outdoor deck for your viewing pleasure.

Around Mile 10:

There’s no booze at Bakery On the Common, aptly situated at 9 S Main St on Natick Town Common, but there’s plenty of baked goods and all day dishes. From breakfast to lunch, Bakery On the Common’s menu is chock full of soups, sandwiches and pastries.

Around Mile 22:

The ultimate viewing, boozing, eating locale in Cleveland Circle has to be City Side at 1960 Beacon St. So close to the action, full of festive college students and boasting an open roof deck, City Side offers one of the first, and best, vantage points from which to cheer on the marathoners after they take on Heartbreak Hill.

Around the finish line

Though tightened security may convince people otherwise, Newbury Street and Boylston Street will be open for business! There are a plethora of great bars to sink your teeth into, Dillon’s, The Pour House, Whiskey’s, Forum and Parish Cafe to name a few. Don’t forget all of the spots between here and Cleveland Circle either. Coolidge Corner is home to the Reagle Beagle, Kenmore Square to Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster and The Hawthorne.

More on that here:

Security

Yes, security will be tighter this year. To ensure you do this thing right, here’s a breakdown of what to expect.

For spectators:

Unofficial participants are prohibited from crossing the barriers onto the road. Additionally, the Boston Athletic Association has made it clear there will be “a significant presence of uniformed and plain clothed police officers” who might ask viewers to pass through security checkpoints.

Therefore, if for whatever reason you have to carry personal items along with you, it’s recommended you bring them in clear plastic bags. Some items, though, will be completely prohibited from spectator areas:

  • Backpacks or any similar item carried over the shoulder.
  • Suitcases and rolling bags/rollers.
  • Coolers.
  • Glass containers or cans.
  • Flammable liquids, fuels, fireworks or explosives.
  • Any container capable of carrying more than 1 liter of liquid.
  • Handbags or packages or bulky items larger than 12 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches.
  • Large blankets/comforters, duvets, sleeping bags.
  • Costumes covering the face or any non-form fitting, bulky outfits extending beyond the perimeter of the body.
  • Props (including sporting equipment and military and fire gear).

For runners:

Items will be even more limited. No bags will be allowed on the buses to and from Hopkinton and Boston and no runner will be allowed to wear Camelbacks or hydration devices. Fanny packs will be allowed as long as they’re smaller than 5-by-15-by-5 inches, while fuel packs will also be given the green light if they’re “standard manufactured.”

Ruck-marchers, members of the armed forces who carry 40-pound rucksacks for the full 26.2 miles, will not be allowed to ruck-march due to their accompanying equipment.

More on that here:

Parking/Transportation

Spectators are strongly encouraged to take public transportation into the city as parking in the Back Bay will be limited. Because it’s also Patriots’ Day, meters are free. But keep in mind all of the other viewers who will be battling for a parking space alongside you.

If you’re looking to leave your vehicle in a garage, there are several options, though be prepared to pay. The nearest vehicle shelter is called Garage @ 100 Clarendon, just a block from the finish line. They also happen to be an official sponsor of the race. Two to ten hours of parking will run you $30.

MBTA

Because Marathon Monday falls on Patriots’ Day, a state holiday, the MBTA runs on a holiday schedule. Stay tuned for finalized scheduling; the MBTA website currently reads that all lines – subway, commuter rail, bus and ferry – will operate on modified service schedules. Copley and Arlington Stations are CLOSED during the day of the Boston Marathon.

But that doesn’t mean schedules are guaranteed to change. Last year the Red Line, Orange Line, Blue Line and Silver Line operated at a regular weekday schedule with rush-hour levels of service before and after the race. The Green B-, C-, D-, and E-Lines did the same.

How You Can Help

As you know, most runners undertake the Marathon on behalf of a charity. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pitch in too. There a number of ways non-participants can contribute to foundations and charitable organizations either by pledging a donation, buying awesome swag or taking online photos and videos.

More on that here:

Live Coverage

Media coverage of the Marathon will be available using the following outlets:

Fun Facts

Now that we’ve taken care of the logistics, let’s have some fun.

Did you know … ?

  • The first Boston Marathon took place in 1897 and was inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon in the 1896 Summer Olympics.
  • Over 500,000 spectators come to Boston annually to watch the Marathon.
  •  More than 36,000 participants will take part in the race, more than 9,000 more than the usual field size.
  • The BAA’s charity programs have raised more than $150 million since its founding in 1989.
  • Commemorative bracelets given to all participants, personnel and volunteers were cut from the 2013 Marathon banners.
  • Heartbreak Hill was given its name when, in 1936, defending champion Johnny Kelley passed Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, and gave him a pat on the shoulder along the way. Brown then rallied and pulled ahead of Kelley, subsequently winning and breaking Kelley’s heart.
  • Shigeki Tanaka from Japan won the 1951 Marathon. As a boy, he lived just 20 miles from the Hiroshima atomic bomb site.
  • Ernst van Dyk has won the Men’s Wheelchair division nine times.
  • Clarence DeMar has won the most Men’s Open Division titles with a total of seven.
  • Catherine Ndereba tops the Women’s Open division with four titles.
  • John Campbell of New Zealand holds the Men’s Open Division record for fastest time with 2:11:04 (set in 1990).
  • Mary Hannah of the United States holds the Women’s Open Division record for fastest time with 2:27:58 (set in 2012).
Everyone, everywhere, has something to cheer for this year. From the route to security specifics, bars along the way to how you can pitch in, here's to doing 2014 right.
You can read more stories on Boston startups, technology and innovation at https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/inno