The Boston Marathon is one of the foremost events in an athlete’s career. The marathon, not only is one of the five members of the World Marathon Majors, but is also the world’s oldest modern-day competitions. The race that was initiated following inspiration brought forward from the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon was founded in 1897.

Held annually on the streets of Boston in Massachusetts in April’s Patriots Day, which falls on the third Monday of the month, the Boston Marathon has become one of the worlds’s most favoured road racing events.

The Boston Marathon which calls forth both amateurs and professional runners, runs a total length of approximately 42 kilometres providing participants with winding roads, through several routes and into the Boston city centre to meet the finish line which is situated next to the historic Boston Public Library on Copley Square. It is often said that the Boston Marathon is one of the most trying marathons around, due to course including many obstacles. It is also said that the saying “Hitting a wall” is often met when participants arrive at the Heartbreak Hill point of the course, which is the last of the four Newton Hills located near to the Boston College.

With over 20, 000 runners taking part in the Boston Marathon annually, the race has been around for over a century. The event, which focuses on three distinctions, the elite, races for men and women, and the wheelchair races. With starting times differential pertaining to each distinction, the wheelchair and women’s elite division start 30 minutes prior to that of the men’s elite which initiates at 10:00 am and 10:30 as per two-wave starts.

Some of the runners participate for the cash prize winnings, but some participate as means of a personal accomplishment. With many spectators taking to the streets of Boston to view this prestigious event, the day is marked as a day of celebration for most Bostonites. When in Boston during April, take up accommodation at one of the Boston hotels such as the Langham Hotel Boston. One of the luxury hotels in Boston, it offers guests with lavish rooms and suites to offers guests utmost comfort and relaxation.

Lord’s Cricket Ground, viewed as ‘The Home of Cricket’, is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) among others. Cricket lovers and sports enthusiasts in general will delight in the magnificence of the stadium that held its first match in 1814 with the game being Marylebone Cricket Ground versus Hertfordshire.

Visitors should be sure to check out the many stands of the cricket venue like the Pavilion, the Grand Stand and the Media Center. The Pavilion is from the Victorian era and is a significant hallmark of the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Another prominent feature is the Grand Stand located at the south-east part of the field. The futuristic Media Centre has won the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture in 1999. It is now endorsed by Investec.

The MCC Museum is a must visit when touring Lord’s Cricket Ground. It has the globe’s most famous assortment of cricket souvenirs like the Ashes. These collections have been accumulated since 1864. Cricket gears of the greats like Donald Bradman and Shane Warne can be seen. Historical cricket videos are displayed at the Brian Johnston Memorial Theatre. Furthermore, there is a new showcase of the life and livelihood of Brian Lara.

Transport options to get to the Lord’s Cricket Ground include trains like the St. John’s Wood tube station and public buses. Tourists who happen to visit London during the summer may be able to catch a test match played at the grand old stadium. Other sports like tennis and archery have been played at the ground in old times. Lord’s also has an actual tennis court. Travelers have the option of staying at a Langham Hotel London like The Langham London during their stay.

More than three thousand first-class athletes from The People’s Republic of China, Chinese Taipei, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Macau China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong China, Mongolia, and Guam will battle it out against one another for 262 Gold medals in 22 sporting events at the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games to be held from the 5th to 13th December 2009. The theme of this years sporting event is ‘Be the Legend’.

Kowloon Park Swimming Pool will be the venue where the Swimming and Diving games will be held. Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground will be the venue for the athletics, bodybuilding, and indoor cycling events. Queen Elizabeth Stadium will host the badminton and table-tennis matches while Basketball and Volleyball games will be at the Hong Kong Coliseum. This massive multi sports event will be taking place in 21 such venues holding all indoor, outdoor, land and water games. The Hong Kong Park Sports Centre, situated in Central Hong Kong will be where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held.

Organized every four years, this year will be the 5^th time since the East Asian Games Planning Committee will administer the event. This year will undoubtedly be the best and the largest ever international multi-sport event held in Hong Kong. This important milestone in the history of Hong Kong surely shouldn’t be missed. To ignite to the enthusiasm of Sports lovers around the world, there are special galleries inside the Hong Kong Park Sports Centre, providing information and licensed merchandise.

It is best to avoid the hassle and disappointment in booking rooms during the busy times of the games. Remember to search for the best among the best of Hong Kong accommodation to find a place located close to the city’s many attractions. Cosmopolitan Hotel is an ideal hotel destination if you are on the look out for a Causeway Bay hotel.