Bruins legend Zdeno Chara finishes Boston Marathon in under 4 hours

Former NHL defenseman Zdeno Chara can now consider himself an accomplished long-distance runner after completing the 127th Boston Marathon on Monday.

Chara, who announced his participation in the annual event last month, arrived in support of The Thomas E. Smith Foundation and The Hoyt Foundation. He also gave a hat tip to his 24 NHL seasons, wearing bib No. 3333 in the race, paying homage to his old No. 33.

At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, the 46-year-old towered over his competition while battling cold and rainy elements. But that didn’t prevent him from fitting in with the other runners.

The longtime Bruins captain conquered the 26-mile, 385-yard course — which begins in Hopkinton, Mass. and finishes in Boston's Copley Square — crossing the finish line at 3:38:23.

Fittingly, several cheers rained down from the crowd once Chara completed the race. But that’s not all he heard as the Bruins’ goal song started playing on the PA system, celebrating his milestone accomplishment.

Dick Hoyt, a famous Boston Marathon runner, inspired Chara to run on Patriot’s Day during his 14 seasons with the Bruins organization. Hoyt, who passed away in September 2021 at age 80, infamously pushed his son, Rick, in a wheelchair through several races.

Chara credited Dick and Rick Hoyt for helping to motivate the Bruins en route to their 2011 Stanley Cup championship.

“What better first marathon than the Boston Marathon on April 17th!” Chara wrote in an Instagram post last March.

“Dick and Rick Hoyt made an incredible impact on millions of people worldwide and personally helped to motivate us to our 2011 Stanley Cup Championship,” Chara continued. “The Hoyt Foundation has an amazing legacy with this iconic marathon.”

The seven-time All-Star also represented The Thomas E. Smith Foundation because of Thomas Smith’s inspiring story and the work his foundation does to help those affected by paralysis and spinal cord injuries.

Chara announced his retirement from professional hockey ahead of the 2022-23 campaign but not before signing a one-day contract with Boston last September. He logged 1,680 career games, scoring 209 goals and 680 points.

The blueliner won the 2008-09 Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman after posting a career-high 19 goals and 50 points. He earned the Mark Messier Leadership Award two seasons later in 2010-11, exemplifying the best leadership qualities on and off the ice.

While Chara didn’t win the 2023 Boston Marathon — an honour won by Kenya’s Evans Chebet — he helped raise money for both organizations he represented and posted a link where donations can be sent.