As thousands of runners descend on Massachusetts this weekend for the 129th Boston Marathon, 50 of them will compete in the historic 50th wheelchair division of the race.

Eden Rainbow-Cooper, an English paralympic athlete who won last year’s women’s wheelchair division race in 1:35:11, said competing in the 50th anniversary means “everything” to her.

“50 years of wheelchair racing [in] Boston, that’s over twice my lifetime—which seems crazy to think about,” she said in an interview with The Beacon. “To be here 50 years on and to see the legacy that has come down with that … it’s truly just a testament to how incredible wheelchair racing is and how incredible these athletes have been.”

On April 21, 1975, Watertown native Bob Hall won the first wheelchair race at the Boston Marathon. Accepting a challenge by Boston Athletic Association President Will Cloney to complete the course in less than three hours, Hall—using a modified hospital wheelchair—crossed the finish line in two hours and 58 minutes.

“I said to myself, other people have got to do this, too,” Hall recently told Boston.com. “This is not my race, this is all of ours. That really gave me joy.”

Daniel Romanchuk, a two-time Boston Marathon winner and two-time Paralympic gold medalist, said it’s “amazing” to race on the 50th anniversary of Hall’s feat.

“I got to do a panel with [Bob Hall] yesterday, and hearing all the stories, it’s just incredible,” he said.

“That generation really advocated and pushed for our sport to be seen as a professional sport,” Susannah Scaroni, a six-time Paralympic medalist who won the marathon two years ago, said. “I have all these experiences that help elevate professional racing for me, and I have them to thank for it.”

“50 years is not that long ago, so I know how much I have to appreciate,” she added.

This year’s field includes defending champions Rainbow-Cooper and Marcel Hug as well as five-time Paralympic gold medalist Catherine Debrunner. A host of previous champions, Paralympic athletes, and first-timers are also on hand for a shot at glory.

“It’s an incredible field out here,” Rainbow-Cooper said. “There [are] so many amazing people, and it’s a great community.”

She noted how her training for this year’s marathon has been “a bit up and down,” citing recovery from an injury last year.

“Since I’ve been back [in January], I’ve been injury-free, which has been really great,” she said. “I’m feeling good. I’ve given it my best shot in training, and I couldn’t have done anything more.”

Competitors described how Boston differs from other marathon sites, noting the multiple hills they must face.

“I like to try and get out to where I grew up in Mount Airy, Maryland, to do some hill training there,” Romanchuk said. “I currently live in Champaign, Illinois, [and there’s] not too [many] hills in that area. ”

Scaroni’s journey back to Boston has been “a lot of years in the making.”

“I started training in a really good environment at the University of Illinois in 2011, and from there, every year, I gained a lot of experience, skills, [and] information sharing with my other training partners,” the six-time Paralympic medalist said. “Every single year I’m [in] Boston, including this year, I have more skills than I had the previous time.”

The constant improvement is one of several lessons Scaroni has learned in preparation for this year’s race.

“Every start line is a fresh day,” she added. “You’re seeing what your body can do that day, and to be happy with that and be proud of that is something I’ve learned.”

“Anything can go on during a race, but to really get the most out of [myself] is something that I try to do,” she added. “And not put on external pressures or expectations and just enjoy the moment.”

Aside from physical preparation, Scaroni and Rainbow-Cooper touched on the mental preparation required to succeed in wheelchair marathons.

Scaroni relies on her past experience to build up to Boston each year.

“Mentally, I try to focus on relaxing,” she said. “Usually, I read or meditate or talk to my friends and family. Just ways to work on being at peace and being excited on race day.”

Rainbow-Cooper said marathons require full commitment physically and mentally.

“It’s always trusting your body and trusting your mind,” she said. “Knowing that when times get tough, [you have to] remind yourself, this is what you’re here for, this is why we do it because it’s so hard and because we love it.”

For people who may not be familiar with wheelchair races, Rainbow-Cooper says it’s somewhat similar to Formula 1 driving.

“There’s a lot of tactics involved,” she said. “A lot more than you might think. There’s drafting behind other wheelchair racers, and making sure you’re in the right positions at [the] right times. Often you’ll see us all riding behind each other in a line, just know that that is very tactical thinking, and everyone has chosen exactly where they want to be.”

“For us, the marathons aren’t just about who’s fastest, it’s about who’s smartest also,” she added.

Romanchuk would like people to recognize wheelchair racing in marathons.

“What I’d like [people] to know is that it exists,” he said. “Boston does a great job doing a 4-in-1 screen for the coverage of the race, so you don’t miss any part of [it]. That’s really vital to getting the word out there that wheelchair racing is a possibility.”

For those who aspire to one day tackle the 26.2 miles, Rainbow-Cooper says, “don’t give up.”

“Everyone starts from somewhere,” she said. “If you have a dream to go run, push, or compete in anything, just full steam ahead, go for it, and see what you get. The worst thing that happens is, well, nothing. There’s no downside to trying.”

The men’s and women’s wheelchair races are the first two on Marathon Monday, beginning at 9:06 a.m. and 9:09 a.m., respectively.