#BostonMarathon #BostonStrong

One of the 6 World Marathon Majors, the Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon and most well known and prestigious contest in the world.  The BAA was established in 1887 and in the 1896 Olympics, 1/2 of the marathoners were from the BAA. This inspired the first Boston Marathon on April 19, 1897...and a Boston tradition was born.

This Monday, as with every Patriot's day (celebrated only in MA, ME and WI), tens of thousands of runners line up in Hopinton MA to run the BAA course that meanders over hills and valleys of 8 cities and towns to end up on Boylston St near the John Hancock tower (the major event sponsor) in Boston. Over the years there have been anywhere from 27,000 to 33,000 runners in this race.

The field is comprised of the World's elite runners (Fatuma Roba (ETH) Joan Benoit Samuelson US, Rosa Mota (POR), Gelindo Bordin (ITA) who were both Boston Marathon and Olympic Winners), Local Favorites (John A Kelley who ran in 61 of the contests; Team Hoyt comprised of Dick Hoyt running and pushing his wheel-chair bound son, Rick), Hundreds of Groups running for a variety of Charities and Scores of Individuals who push their limits and have decided "Impossible is Nothing" (Adidas is one of the major sponsors).  

There have been so many special moments each and every year (marriage proposals at the finish line, cancer survivors finishing the race, people crossing the finish line in the wee hours of the night). The 2013 "Marathon Bombers" tried to hijack the great race for their own twisted purposes...but this is Boston...and we are STRONG...and NOTHING stands in our way.  The event will go on year after year and for those how finish the grueling 26.2 mile race with it's renowned "Heartbreak Hill"...the feeling of accomplishment is, in the words of 2014 winner Meb Keflezighi, "The Thrill of a LIfetime" - who happens to run in Maui Jim sunglasses.

If you are a runner - especially a marathoner - you are well aware of the footwear requirements, the clothing that will wick the sweat from your body and the need to hydrate and nourish your body along the route to keep you safe and healthy.  But did you also realize that sunglasses are an important part of that routine?  It is so important to be able to see the course clearly while also protecting your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun - BUT you don't want to run into problems when your sunglasses slide down your sweaty nose.  A tight fit that prevents slippage and the right lens color is so important that many of our vendors have come up with sunglasses made specifically for runners.  So how do you decide?

It is said that without eye protection, by the time you turn 60-years-old, your eyes will be exposed to as much UV light as is created by a nuclear blast!

Maui Jim lenses block 99.9 percent of glare from above, below and behind each lens. They also use anti-reflective treatments that are specifically designed to eliminate eye fatigue. In the case of Maui Jim, their PolarizedPlus2^® lens technology not only cuts glare, but also uses three rare earth elements and other compounds in the lenses to enhance the colors, depth of field and definition of what you see Try their Breakwall, Ho'Okipa, Lighthouse and Makaha all of which have better constructed nose pads for better grip. 

Other companies who make runner-specific sunglasses are Nike, Native, Smith and Oakley, especially the Oakley Fast Jacket. Check out our Sunglasses for Runners section of our website

 Consider different lens colors for different light conditions:

• Neutral Grey lenses offer the highest level of light reduction for bright, sunny days.
• Bronze lenses have a versatile, all-activity, warm brown tint designed to improve vision in variable light conditions.
• Rose lenses are high-performance and blush-colored for maximum contrast and crisp vision; and are particularly good for fast-moving sports.
• Maui HT™ (from Maui Jim) is a high-performance, palm green color that lets the right amount of useful light into the eye to improve definition and depth perception without losing polarization efficiency.

When shopping for sunglasses, remember that good sunglasses are about eye protection. First decide when and how you wear your sunglasses; then choose a lens material, lens color, frame material and frame style that offer the most comfortable features for the marathon ahead.