Tom Derderian, Marathon Authority

We have the most famous Olympic hockey player in history in our town, but who knew we had the foremost authority on the Boston Marathon also living within our borders?

Winthrop resident Tom Derederian has written an outstanding book about the Boston Marathon, its 117-year history, and the special place that the marathon holds in the hearts of all New Englanders, especially those who live in Boston and nearby communities such as Winthrop. Derderian’s book tells the stories of the various communities along the marathon route from the starting line in Hopkinton to towns such as Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, and Brookline, and to the finish line in Boston’s Back Bay.

This book is a must-read for anyone who has run in the marathon or attended the nation’s longest continuous running event. Derderian is an accomplished runner and coach for the well-known Greater Boston Track Club and this book is one of the crowning achievements of his running career. We congratulate Tom and wish him well as he begins his book tour that will consist of celebrity appearances at various book stores and events.