9 Cranstonians to Run the Boston Marathon this Year

They run for all sorts of reasons: in memory of a loved one, to raise money for a cause ... and just to say, "I did it."

The 117th annual Boston Marathon takes place on April 15 this year, taking runners through the course that threads from the Hopkinton starting line to Boston.

As it states on the official website, "the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's most prestigious road racing events. The Boston Athletic Association manages this American classic, which is sponsored by John Hancock Financial Services. The Boston Marathon has distinguished itself as the pinnacle event within the sport of road racing by virtue of its traditions, longevity and method of gaining entry into the race (via qualification)."

So who's running from Cranston? Here is the updated list, as posted on the Boston Marathon site. If you want to track any of the runners, click HERE and enter their name for real-time tracking.

If you have any words of encouragement to the Cranston residents running the Boston Marathon this year, you can put them in the comments section below.