HOPKINTON, Mass. -- Some Hopkinton elementary school students had some special visitors Thursday when some of the Boston Marathon's top runners stopped by their school.

NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross reported that the runners have visited the school each year for 14 years as part of the "Adopt-a-Marathoner" program. Each year, the students study Kenyan culture and meet the runners before the marathon.

Seven of the nine Kenyan marathoners ran into the gym and greeted cheering students at Elmwood Elementary School Thursday. The school band played the Kenyan national anthem.

"When we get to your classrooms, we see the Swahili you learn, the culture you learn about us. Indeed we are very happy because not so many places, and I believe there is no other place where we go, and we find kids like you and teachers interested about learning the culture where we come from," said Boston Marathon champion Robert Cheruiyot.

Three-time Boston Marathon winner Moses Tanui later joined the runners.

"Today, I think (the Kenyan team) has some good athletes. I have been talking to them so that I can tell them what to do in Boston, because Boston is a very tough marathon. It is very good," he said.

The 110th Boston Marathon will be run on Monday, April 17. The race begins in Hopkinton Center.