April 21, 2008 Heartbreak Hill challenging to all Play video

(NECN: Josh McElveen, Newton, Mass.) - Heartbreak Hill is arguably the toughest part of the Boston Marathon race for the runners. It's also the place where the runners get a lot of help from the sidelines to make it through.

Heartbreak Hill is an ascent over one-half mile of the Boston Marathon course, between the 20 and 21 mile marks, in the vicinity of Boston College.

It is the last of four "Newton hills", which begin at the 16 mile mark. The Newton hills confound contestants by forcing a late climb after the downhill trend of the race to that point.

The nickname "Heartbreak Hill" originated with an event in the 1936 race, when 'Tarzan' Brown passed Johnny Kelley on the last hill en route to a win over the defending champ.