Gallery: Boston Prepares for the 117th Running of the Marathon

Franks

Lucky day! Fenway Franks seem to get cheaper with every loss. Now love the Sox twice as much! Photo: Kurt Hoy

Cheers

The BAA's Tom Grilk honored Lt. Colonel Rodney Freeman at Cheers on Thursday evening. Freeman organized the first Boston Marathon Shadow Race while stationed in Iraq in 2005. Photo: Brian Patrick

We're All Tourists Sometimes

Can I draw you a beer, Norm? Photo: Brian Patrick

RunCenter!

The Competitor.com crew surveys the site of this week's RunCenter video show. Toni Reavis will host RunCenter Friday through marathon Monday on Boylston Street in Boston, just two blocks from the finish line. Photo: Kurt Hoy

We Are …

Adidas owns a lot of real estate in Boston, especially on Boylston Street. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Welcome

Nike athlete Kara Goucher (pictured) will welcome runners to the Boston Marathon expo beginning on Friday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Yes, You Will

Make a statement with a The North Face tee from the expo. Photo: Kurt Hoy

The Big One

The adidas booth at the Boston Marathon expo was under construction on Thursday morning. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Official Jacket

Here it is, the official Boston Marathon jacket by adidas. Pretty cool. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Official Jacket

Official 2013 Boston Marathon jacket, front. Photo: Kurt Hoy

BAA 26.2

Official jacket, back. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Swag Bags

Lots and lots of goodie bags are waiting for qualified runners who got a spot in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Stands

Stands are going up near the finish line on Boylston Street today. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Marathon Sports

Marathon Sports on Boylston Street sits just a block from the finish line. Need a last-minute piece of equipment, this is the place! Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gotta Do It

Shout out to Marathon Sports! (And, go Tawnee!) Photo: Kurt Hoy

Totally Boston

Saucony's Kinvara 4 for Boston 2013. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Kinvara Boston

The Saucony Kinvara 4 for Boston 2013 … sick. It's one of a number of special "Boston" shoes released by shoe companies during recent weeks. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gone

Running stores in the Boston area will sell out of the official Boston apparel by Sunday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Petty Cab

Newton colors make Boston petty cabs even safer! Running shoe companies get creative throughout Boston during marathon week. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Bridge over Boylston

This scaffolding will become the bridge of Boylston Street just past the finish line. The bridge is used by photographers and officials. Photo: Kurt Hoy

What Marathon?

It was business as usual on Boylston Street, Thursday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Finish Here

The finish line to the Boston Marathon is permanently painted on Boylston Street. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Frogger

Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gisele, Let Down Your Hair

Stopping runners in their tracks since 2009! The RunCenter crew was working the streets of Boston in preparation for weekend shows. Look for them at the expo on Friday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Charles

Runners worked the paths along the Charles River on Thursday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

In-Bloom

Comm. Ave. in-bloom. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Because You Can't Run all the Time

Shops and cafes line the streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. "Flor" makes (in America) fabric tiles from recycled materials. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Heave-Ho

The finish line medical tent (a popular place last year) is hoisted above the street near the finish line. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Franks

Lucky day! Fenway Franks seem to get cheaper with every loss. Now love the Sox twice as much! Photo: Kurt Hoy

Cheers

The BAA's Tom Grilk honored Lt. Colonel Rodney Freeman at Cheers on Thursday evening. Freeman organized the first Boston Marathon Shadow Race while stationed in Iraq in 2005. Photo: Brian Patrick

We're All Tourists Sometimes

Can I draw you a beer, Norm? Photo: Brian Patrick

RunCenter!

The Competitor.com crew surveys the site of this week's RunCenter video show. Toni Reavis will host RunCenter Friday through marathon Monday on Boylston Street in Boston, just two blocks from the finish line. Photo: Kurt Hoy

We Are …

Adidas owns a lot of real estate in Boston, especially on Boylston Street. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Welcome

Nike athlete Kara Goucher (pictured) will welcome runners to the Boston Marathon expo beginning on Friday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Yes, You Will

Make a statement with a The North Face tee from the expo. Photo: Kurt Hoy

The Big One

The adidas booth at the Boston Marathon expo was under construction on Thursday morning. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Official Jacket

Here it is, the official Boston Marathon jacket by adidas. Pretty cool. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Official Jacket

Official 2013 Boston Marathon jacket, front. Photo: Kurt Hoy

BAA 26.2

Official jacket, back. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Swag Bags

Lots and lots of goodie bags are waiting for qualified runners who got a spot in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Stands

Stands are going up near the finish line on Boylston Street today. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Marathon Sports

Marathon Sports on Boylston Street sits just a block from the finish line. Need a last-minute piece of equipment, this is the place! Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gotta Do It

Shout out to Marathon Sports! (And, go Tawnee!) Photo: Kurt Hoy

Totally Boston

Saucony's Kinvara 4 for Boston 2013. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Kinvara Boston

The Saucony Kinvara 4 for Boston 2013 … sick. It's one of a number of special "Boston" shoes released by shoe companies during recent weeks. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gone

Running stores in the Boston area will sell out of the official Boston apparel by Sunday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Petty Cab

Newton colors make Boston petty cabs even safer! Running shoe companies get creative throughout Boston during marathon week. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Bridge over Boylston

This scaffolding will become the bridge of Boylston Street just past the finish line. The bridge is used by photographers and officials. Photo: Kurt Hoy

What Marathon?

It was business as usual on Boylston Street, Thursday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Finish Here

The finish line to the Boston Marathon is permanently painted on Boylston Street. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Frogger

Photo: Kurt Hoy

Gisele, Let Down Your Hair

Stopping runners in their tracks since 2009! The RunCenter crew was working the streets of Boston in preparation for weekend shows. Look for them at the expo on Friday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Charles

Runners worked the paths along the Charles River on Thursday. Photo: Kurt Hoy

In-Bloom

Comm. Ave. in-bloom. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Because You Can't Run all the Time

Shops and cafes line the streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. "Flor" makes (in America) fabric tiles from recycled materials. Photo: Kurt Hoy

Heave-Ho

The finish line medical tent (a popular place last year) is hoisted above the street near the finish line. Photo: Kurt Hoy