This is from Boston.com, and makes no sense to me:
https://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/stride_by_stride/
"The biggest change in the race this year is the new starting time.
A lot of things about the Boston Marathon changed over its first 110 years: the course, the distance, and the gender of eligible racers to name three. The one constant was the official starting time of high noon, though in truth that was dented a little several years ago when the field of elite women was given a separate, half-hour earlier start. This year the entire schedule is being move up two hours, meaning the elite women will start at 9:35 a.m. and the main field at 10. Race officials say they made the change to bring Boston in line with other major marathons, most of which start in the morning so temperatures will be cooler. Cooler temperatures usually mean faster times. The earlier start also allows communities along the marathon route to reopen their roads earlier."
The distance has changed? Was it originally not the Boston Marathon, and perhaps, the Boston 10K? Did they remeasure the distance from Athens (or wherever that messenger guy started) to Marathon and discover it was 10 feet longer than previously measured, sort of like how Mt. Everest keeps getting taller and taller?
I need my morning coffee.....
EDIT: (from the Boston Marathon website)
The Marathon Distance
The 1896 Olympic marathon distance of 24.8 miles was based on the distance run, according to famous Greek legend, in which the Greek foot-soldier Pheidippides was sent from the plains of Marathon to Athens with the news of the astounding victory over a superior Persian army. Exhausted as he approached the leaders of the City of Athens, he staggered and gasped, "Rejoice! We Conquer!" and then collapsed.
The marathon distance was later changed as a result of the 1908 Olympic Games in London. That year, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandria wanted the marathon race to begin at Windsor Castle outside the city so that the Royal family could view the start. The distance between the castle and the Olympic Stadium in London proved to be 26 miles. Organizers added extra yards to the finish around a track, 385 to be exact, so the runners would finish in front of the king and queen's royal box. Every Olympic marathon run since the 1908 Games has been a distance of 26 miles, 385 yards.