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HOPKINTON, Mass. — Once a year for the last 100 years, Hopkinton becomes the center of the running world thanks to a quirk of geography and history that made it the starting line for the world's oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. The Boston Marathon was born next door in Ashland in 1897. But the start was moved to Hopkinton in 1924 to conform with a new international marathon standard. With a field for the 100th anniversary that will top 30,000 runners, the town strains to absorb the crowds and yet still maintains its small-town hospitality year-round.
