3:35 pm ET April 21, 2025
When is the 2026 Boston Marathon? What’s a qualifying time?
Katie Landeck
The 2026 Boston Marathon is on April 20, 2026. It will be the 130th race. The qualifying times for the next race will be the fastest ever.
Boston Marathon qualifying times 2026
Here are the qualifying times for the 2026 Boston Marathon, which is still open for registration.
Age GroupMENWOMENNON-BINARY18-342hrs 55min3hrs 25min3hrs 25min35-393hrs 00min3hrs 30min3hrs 30min40-443hrs 05min3hrs 35min3hrs 35min45-493hrs 15min3hrs 45min3hrs 45min50-543hrs 20min3hrs 50min3hrs 50min55-593hrs 30min4hrs 00min4hrs 00min60-643hrs 50min4hrs 20min4hrs 20min65-694hrs 05min4hrs 35min4hrs 35min70-744hrs 20min4hrs 50min4hrs 50min75-794hrs 35min5hrs 05min5hrs 05min80 and over4hrs 50min5hrs 20min5hrs 20min
2:45 pm ET April 21, 2025
Runners reflect on the race
Margie Cullen
After the race, many participants gathered in Boston Commons, reuniting with friends and family and laying on the ground.It was Ingrid Lacy’s first Boston Marathon. From the Bay Area, the marathon was even better than she expected.“The weather was really good, and the hills were hard because of the placement, but they weren’t as like, it did slow me down, but it wasn’t like, oh my gosh, watch out for the hills,” she said. Lolita Maokhamphiou, also from the Bay Area, agreed. Last year, she took the race conservatively because of the hills.“But this year I was like, ‘You know what? I’m gonna die trying,’” she said. She was rewarded with a 19 minute personal record and her first time sub 3 hours marathon.
The marathon has some of the best energy, runner Carlos Siqueiros said, saying he recommends it to everyone because of the crows.
“It’s awesome. I love the city. … It’s always an awesome experience,” he said. “It’s a fun time. And, you know, regardless of, like, what your fitness level is …. these people out here just cheer for you. You know, it’s motivating especially when you’re coming down that home stretch, whether you have a bad race or not you just want to finish.”Darron Christopher, 40, said that Boston is a “strategic race.”
“You can make a lot of decisions, which I find mentally taxing, like speed up here to try to get time back,” he said.
2:18 pm ET April 21, 2025
See Boston Marathon signs and costumes
Ever think about running the Boston Marathon dressed like a banana? This runner did. Check out some of the outfits and costumes.
2:04 pm ET April 21, 2025
Boston Marathon finish line camera: Here’s the link
Caitlyn Kelleher
WCVB and the Boston Athletic Association have paired up to run a finish line camera. Here’s the link.
The website is collecting the photo-worthy moments of all of the runners in 30-minute increments, but it does take a little while for the photos collections to be processed. “Each clip will be posted to this page as soon as it is processed,” according to WCVB.
WCVB also has links to the finish line cameras from 2023 and 2024.
1:27 pm ET April 21, 2025
What’s it like at the Boston Marathon finish line
Margie Cullen
Finished runners presented mixed feelings post race: Some finishers staggered out of the runner exit, while others seemed to have energy left. Some were all smiles, some cried, and some seemed to have left all emotions on the course. Some embraced loved ones and picked up their children.Daniel Alpert, who lives in California, grew up in Needham. “You have to do it once!” he said of doing the race. He wore an old Needham uniform to get more cheers.He said he had a great time and saw lots of people he knew along the course.
Alpert finished the race in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 1 second, according to the Boston Athletic Association runner tracker.
12:58 pm ET April 21, 2025
Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts: Marks 250th anniversary of Battle of Lexington & Concord
Tom Benoit
At the Boston Marathon’s halfway point in Wellesley, Jiji Mielke was cheering runners from New York-based running clubs. This is her first time watching the Boston Marathon, although she plans to run both the Boston and Chicago marathons next year to complete her six majors.
“This weekend is such a big one, there’s the 250th (anniversary of the start of the American Revolution)and this race falls on top of that,” she said. “It’s really cool all of these events are happening at once.”
She said it’s “beautiful” to see the six stars on runners’ bibs. Each star represents a major marathon completed by that entrant. The six World Marathon Majors are the Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York City Marathon and Tokyo Marathon.
12:30 pm ET April 21, 2025
Yalemzerf Yehualaw takes third in women’s elite race
Melina Khan
Yalemzerf Yehualaw of Ethiopia earned a bronze medal in the women’s elite race at the Boston Marathon on Monday.
She finished with a time of 2:18:06, less than a minute behind this year’s champion Sharon Lokedi. Alongside Lokedi and the second place finisher Hellen Obiri, she beat the course’s previous record of 2:19:59.
Yehualaw previously won the 2022 London Marathon and is the current world record holder in the 10 kilometer road race.
12:15 pm ET April 21, 2025
Hellen Obiri wins silver in women’s elite race
Melina Khan
Hellen Obiri, the two-time defending Boston Marathon champion, narrowly missed a three-peat instead earning silver in the women’s elite race Monday.
Obiri finished with a time of 2:17:41. The three top women’s finishers in Monday’s race beat the previous women’s course record, which was set at 2:19:59 by Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia in 2014.
Obiri and this year’s champion Sharon Lokedi were neck and neck in the final miles of the course, but the latter ultimately finished narrowly ahead of her competitor.
12:09 pm ET April 21, 2025
Sharon Lokedi wins women’s elite race
Melina Khan
Sharon Lokedi of Kenya won the women’s elite race at Monday’s Boston Marathon, finishing with a time of 2:17:22, greeted by her mom as she ran across the finish line.
She broke the women’s course record, which was previously set at 2:19:59 by Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia in 2014. Beating the course record comes with a $50,000 bonus on top of the $150,000 first place prize money.
Lokedi and Hellen Obiri of Kenya — the two-time defending champion — were neck and neck in the final miles of the course, but the former ultimately finished narrowly ahead of her competitor.
Lokedi redeemed her finish in Boston last year, when she earned silver behind Obiri.
The 31-year-old previously won the 2022 New York Marathon and earned bronze in that course in 2023.
11:58 am ET April 21, 2025
Alphonce Simbu, Cybrian Kotut finish second, third in men’s race
Melina Khan
Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu and Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut both finished with a time of 2:05:04 in the men’s elite race at Monday’s Boston Marathon.
The Boston Athletics Association’s results list Simbu as the second place finisher and Kotut as the bronze winner.
The men crossed the finish line just under 20 seconds after John Korir clinched this year’s title.
11:50 am ET April 21, 2025
John Korir wins men’s race
Melina Khan
John Korir of Kenya won the men’s professional race at the 129th Boston Marathon on Monday, pulling away from the frontrunners around mile 20 to eventually clinch the title with a time of 2:04:45.
The 28-year-old also won last year’s Chicago Marathon. His older brother, Wesley Korir, won the Boston Marathon in 2012.
Last year’s champion, Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, dropped out of the race after the halfway point.
11:40 am ET April 21, 2025
Watching Vermont NBC5 Burlington’s Jack Main in Boston Marathon
Tom Benoit
Good luck finding a spot to watch the Boston Marathon in Framingham. Waverly Street (Route 135) is lined with people cheering as runners pass through the 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) mark, and the heart of MetroWest.
Dave Main came from Vermont to cheer on his son, Jack, who is running for Tedy’s Team, a nonprofit created by former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi to raise awareness of stroke and its warning signs (Bruschi suffered one while still a player in 2005).
“This is pretty wild — it’s an incredible scene,” Dave Main said.
Find more runners: Vermonters are running the 2025 Boston Marathon: Here’s who is running and bib numbers
11:11 am ET April 21, 2025
When is the London Marathon?
Katie Landeck
After the Boston Marathon, some of these runners won’t even be resting a week before competing in the London Marathon.
The London Marathon is Sunday, April 27 this year.
Marcel Hug, who won the men’s wheelchair division, and Catherine Debrunner, who took silver in the women’s wheelchair division, will both be competing in London.
11:05 am ET April 21, 2025
Manuela Schär takes third in women’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
a four-time Boston Marathon champion, took bronze in the women’s wheelchair race Monday.
The Swiss athlete finished with a time of 1:39:18, a pace of 3:48 minutes per mile.
Schär was up against a tight race, which saw her, second place finisher Catherine Debrunner and 2024 champion Eden Rainbow Cooper reaching the halfway mark at the same time and just one second behind Susannah Scaroni.
10:55 am ET April 21, 2025
Catherine Debrunner earns silver in women’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
Catherine Debrunner, of Switzerland, took second place in the women’s wheelchair race at the Boston Marathon Monday.
She finished with a time of 01:37:26, roughly two minutes behind Susannah Scaroni.
Monday was Debrunner’s debut in Boston, though the 30-year-old is no stranger to racing.
Debrunner won the 2024 London Marathon and in 2023, she set new course records at the Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon and New York City Marathon. She also won five gold medals at the Paris Paralympic Games.
10:50 am ET April 21, 2025
Susannah Scaroni wins women’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
Susannah Scaroni, the 2023 women’s wheelchair winner, earned a second Boston Marathon title Monday.
Scaroni, an American, finished with a time of 1:35:20 — a 03:39 minute per mile pace.
A longtime marathoner, Scaroni recently won the 2024 New York City Marathon and earned a silver medal at the Paris Paralympic Games. In Boston, she previously earned second in 2018 and third in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
She didn’t race last year due to injury. Last year, the United Kingdom’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper took home the title.
10:41 am ET April 21, 2025
Jetze Plat takes third in men’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
Jetze Plat of the Netherlands earned third in the 129th Boston Marathon’s men’s wheelchair race Monday.
He finished with a time of 1:30:16, more than nine minutes behind Marcel Hug’s winning time.
Plat previously also earned bronze in the 2023 Boston Marathon.
10:34 am ET April 21, 2025
Daniel Romanchuk earns silver in men’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
Daniel Romanchuk, the 2022 and 2019 men’s wheelchair champion, earned silver once again in the 129th Boston Marathon Monday.
He finished with a time of 1:25:58, marking a 03:17 minute per mile pace.
Romanchuk, an American, previously earned second place in 2021, 2023 and 2024 as well as a third place finish in 2018.
10:31 am ET April 21, 2025
Marcel Hug wins men’s wheelchair race
Melina Khan
(This post was updated with a new photo.)
Marcel Hug of Switzerland defended his men’s wheelchair title with a time of 1:21:34, earning his eighth Boston Marathon championship.
The 39-year-old got out to a solid start on the course with a pace of 2:23 minutes per mile by the 5K mark, according to the Boston Athletic Association’s athlete tracker. He reached the halfway point with a time of 37:57 and finished the race with an average pace of 3:06 minutes per mile.
Hug previously won the title in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024. He is also the reigning course record holder with a 1:15:33 finish last year, which broke the previous course record he set in 2023.
10:30 am ET April 21, 2025
What’s the prize money for the Boston Marathon?
Katie Landeck
Recognition isn’t the only thing athletes compete for; there’s the prize money after all.
The Boston Marathon is offering five- to six-figure rewards for the top finishers in the competition, with a $50,000 bonus for those who set new course records in the open division and wheelchair division.
In the open division, the first-place prize is $150,000, the second-place prize is $75,000 and the third-place runner receives $40,000.
In the wheelchair division for T53/54/34 competitors, the first-, second-, and third-place prizes are valued at $50,000, $30,000 and $15,000.
To get the $50,000 course record bonus, open division male runners will have to beat Geoffrey Mutai’s record time of 2 hours, 3 minutes and 2 seconds set in 2011.
Open division female runners will have to beat Buzunesh Deba’s time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 59 seconds set in 2013.
Male wheelchair athletes will have to beat Marcel Hug’s record of 1 hour, 17 minutes and 6 seconds in 2023, while female wheelchair athletes must beat Manuela Schär’s 1 hour, 28 minutes and 17 seconds ub 2017 to get the bonus.
To learn more about the prize money rewards for master division, para athletes and more, visit
here.
10:15 am ET April 21, 2025
Where is Heartbreak Hill?
Katie Landeck
Heartbreak Hill is the name of a long incline on the marathon race course from miles 18 to 21 on Commonwealth Avenue in Newton.
It’s called Heartbreak Hill because it’s where many runners “hit the wall” and become suddenly fatigued. The hill part comes from the fact that it’s the last of the four Newton Hills.
There is a deeper story, however.
More: How did Heartbreak Hill get its name? A RI marathon legend was at the heart of that story
In the 1936 Boston Marathon, Narragansett athlete Ellison Myers Brown, known as Tarzan Brown, got a hot lead in the race until competitor John Kelley overtook him on the last Newton Hill, giving Brown a pat on the back before passing him.
Brown would then win the 1936 marathon, breaking Kelley’s heart. A journalist would later coin the name Heartbreak Hill.
10:00 am ET April 21, 2025
Boston Marathon leaderboard: How to see who’s ahead
Katie Landeck
If you’re looking to track who’s in the lead during the 129th Boston Marathon, there’s no better way to do that than the leaderboard on the Boston Athletic Association’s website. See who’s leading the race here.
9:44 am ET April 21, 2025
Wheelchair race turns 50 years old this year in 2025 Boston Marathon
Tom Benoit
Bob Hall and Bill Rodgers are this year’s grand marshals.
Hall is the first official wheelchair champion, finishing the inaugural wheelchair race 50 years ago in 2 hours, 58 minutes. He survived childhood polio which cost him the use of his legs.
1975 was Rodgers’ first of four Boston marathon wins. His time of 2:09:55 set what was then an American record.
Hopkinton Select Board member Mary Jo LaFreniere welcomed the large crowd to the “sleepy town” of Hopkinton. She said the town’s population doubles every Marathon Monday. (Marathon aside, it was the state’s third-largest growing municipality in population, percentage-wise, from 2010-2020.)
“This is their race,” LaFreniere said of the spectators in her speech after the men’s and women’s wheelchair racers set off.
9:15 am ET April 21, 2025
Boston Marathon wheelchair times: How fast they go
Katie Landeck
Every year, wheelchair athletes are some of the fiercest competitors participating in the Boston Marathon. This year is no different.
The current high-performance standard for male wheelchair athletes is less than 1 hour and 31 minutes. For female wheelchair athletes, it’s less than 1 hour and 52 minutes.
9:09 am ET April 21, 2025
The first athletes are off
Katie Landeck
The Boston Marathon has started, with the men’s wheelchair division taking off at the finish line.
Reminder these are the start times for the other races: Women’s Wheelchair – 9:09 a.m. ESTHandcycles & Duos – 9:30 a.m. ESTProfessional Men – 9:37 a.m. ESTProfessional Women – 9:47 a.m. ESTPara Athletics Division – 9:50 a.m. ESTWave 1 – 10 a.m. ESTWave 2 – 10:25 a.m. ESTWave 3 – 10:50 a.m. EST
9:03 am ET April 21, 2025
Boston Marathon grand marshals
Tom Benoit
Bob Hall and Bill Rodgers are this year’s grand marshals.
Hall is the first official wheelchair champion, finishing the inaugural wheelchair race 50 years ago in 2 hours, 58 minutes. He survived childhood polio that cost him the use of his legs.
1975 was Rodgers’ first of four Boston marathon wins. His time of 2:09:55 set what was then an American record.
9:00 am ET April 21, 2025
Des Linden, 2018 champion, announces retirement after Monday’s race
Melina Khan
Des Linden, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, announced on social media that she will retire after Monday’s race.
“People say you should go out on top, and that’s what I’m doing — because getting to race my final professional marathon in Boston is indeed going out on top,” she wrote. “I’m ready to leave it all out on the course one last time. See you on Boylston.”
Linden is running in her 12th Boston Marathon Monday, seven years after she clinched victory on the course and became the first American woman to win the event in 33 years.
The 41-year-old also won silver in Boston in 2011 and ran in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
8:45 am ET April 21, 2025
What are the different Boston Marathon bib colors?
Katie Landeck
The Boston Marathon bibs are color coded based on what start wave the runner is in. According to the Boston Athletics Association, “Red bibs (numbers 201 to 7,800) are assigned to Wave 1 (10:00 a.m.). White bibs (numbers 8,000 to 15,999) are assigned to Wave 2 (10:25 a.m.). Blue bibs (numbers 16,000 to 23,999) are assigned to Wave 3 (10:50 a.m.) Yellow bibs (numbers 24,000 to 32,999) are assigned to Wave 4 (11:15 a.m.).”
8:30 am ET April 21, 2025
How many people are running the Boston Marathon this year?
Katie Landeck and Melina Khan
Nearly 32,000 participantsare entered in this year’s marathon, with 30,000 of them expected to run on race day, according to the BAA.
The total number of runners this year is roughly equal to the population of the town of Needham, according to data from World Population Review.
About 57% of the participants, or 18,200, of them are men, while roughly 43% or 13,700 are women. There are 76 non-binary entrants.
Last year’s race had about 29,000 entered runners, according to the BAA.
8:30 am ET April 21, 2025
How to watch the Boston Marathon
Katie Landeck
WCVB Channel 5 (ABC) will be covering the Boston Marathon live for all Boston-area viewers beginning at 4 a.m. on Marathon Monday.
It will be simulcast regionally on its sister stations: WMUR News 9 ABC (Manchester, NH), WMTW Channel 8 ABC (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ NBC5 (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY).
Local viewers can also live stream the marathon on the Very Local app.
How to watch the Boston Marathon: National
ESPN2 will provide live national coverage of the Boston Marathon from 9 a.m. ET until 12:30 p.m. ET, as well as some other coverage on other ESPN shows and platforms before and after that time. The marathon will be streamed on ESPN+.
8:22 am ET April 21, 2025
What the spectators see at the Boston Marathon starting line
Tom Benoit
With less than an hour to go before the first race leaves Hopkinton, spectators began filling up Main Street in Hopkinton.
Emily Drummey, a Hopkinton Public Schools teacher, said she’s lived in neighboring Upton her entire life but never got the chance to come out for the Boston Marathon start.
“I figured this was the coolest spot to come out,” she said.
Cam McGrath, a teacher and track coach at Auburn High School, has two students running today.
“There’s a cool energy being here,” he said. “I’m excited to see what happens.”
8:15 am ET April 21, 2025
Send us your race day pictures!
Katie Landeck
Runners, we want to see your pictures from the marathon. Take a photo at the starting line and take a photo at the end to show up how your race day went. Email the to [email protected] along with your name and where your from or use this form.
We will use the photos in galleries and on social media accounts within the USA Today Network.
8:13 am ET April 21, 2025
Preparing for the 2025 Boston Marathon in Hopkington
Tom Benoit
Chase Hurley, 15, of Hopkinton, was playing music outside ARCOS Cucina + Bar on Main Street in Hopkinton more than an hour before the start of the Marathon. Hurley, who attends the Eagle Hill School in Hardwick, said he’s been playing music before the start of the Marathon for “a few years now.”
ARCOS is a newcomer to Main Street in Hopkinton, replacing the former Central Public House. It’s celebrating a “soft opening” this long weekend.
7:45 am ET April 21, 2025
Where are the Boston Marathon bombers now?
Katie Landeck
This marathon marks the 12th since the Boston Marathon Bombing, when two brothers executed the largest terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11, according to the FBI, setting off two explosives near the finish line that killed three people and injured over 500.
Still today, “Boston Strong,” the motto the city adopted after the bombing, can be seen on signs and shirts of spectators, and runners will pass a “Boston Strong” sign across the bridge in the final mile.
Who were the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing?
Three people were killed in the bombings – Martin Richard, 8, Krystle Campbell, 29; and Lu Lingzi, 23, and more than 200 people were injured.
MIT police Officer Sean Collier, 27, was killed days later during the manhunt for the bombers. Boston police Officer Dennis Simmonds died one year after responding to the shootout with the bombers.
What happened to the Boston Marathon bombers?
Tamerlan Tsarnaev died after a gun battle with the police a few days after the bombing. According to the FBI, Dzhokhar ran over his brother with a carjacked vehicle, and Tamerlan died from injuries sustained at the scene.
Dzhokhar, who was then 19 years old, was taken in to custody and charged with the use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death and conspiracy, as well as 29 other terrorism-related charges.
Dzhokhar was found guilty on all 30 counts and sentenced to death in 2015.
7:30 am ET April 21, 2025
What celebrities are running the Boston Marathon in 2025?
Katie Landeck and Melina Khan
Matt James, star of The Bachelor franchise, is running the Boston Marathon this year for the second time.
He’ll be running as a “field correspondent” for ESPN and WCVB5 – “literally in the field,” he wrote on Instagram. He ran Boston for the first time in 2022.
Over the years, many celebrities have taken to the streets of Boston for the famous race, including actor Will Ferrell and former Boston Bruins player Zdeno Chára
.
What celebrities are running the 2025 Boston Marathon?
Celebrities who ran Boston Marathon: Can you name Hollywood actors who have run in the Boston Marathon? Here are four
Here are some celebrities and notable figures running the 2025 Boston Marathon this year:
- Matt James, The Bachelor tv star
- Scott Stallings, three-time PGA Tour winner
- Alice Cook, US Olympic figure skater
- Paula Radcliffe, retired professional runner who formerly held the world record holder in the Women’s marathon
7:11 am ET April 21, 2025
Weather for the Boston Marathon 2025
Katie Landeck and Margie Cullen
The forecast is looking beautiful for the Boston Marathon today, though perhaps a smidge warm for runners.
The National Weather Service Boston is predicting a high of 59 degrees and a low of 44 with mostly sunny skies.
What’s the perfect weather for marathon running?
While 67 degrees and sunny (last year’s weather for the Boston Marathon) may seem like the perfect temperature, it’s actually a bit warm for racers.
Most runners and experts agree that perfect marathon running weather is around 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s because as the distances get longer, the more that even slightly warmer temperatures can affect runners by causing dehydration, fatigue and even heatstroke.
Runners also hope for overcast skies and a light tailwind.
History of Boston Marathon Weather Past races include extreme heat and snow
7:05 am ET April 21, 2025
Runners starting to arrive at marathon
Tom Benoit
At a chilly start in Hopkinton, multiple public safety officers from the Mass. State Police, Hopkinton Police Department and other MetroWest agencies are beginning to set up for the Marathon.
Temperature in Hopkinton is 40 degrees at 7 a.m. Sunny, low wind.
The first event, Men’s Wheelchair, is scheduled to start in less than two hours.
6:45 am ET April 21, 2025
What is qualifying time for the Boston Marathon?
Katie Landeck and Rin Velasco
The Boston Marathon is notoriously difficult to get in to with fast qualification times: 3 hours for men and 3 hours and 30 minutes for women in the youngest age group of 18-34. Even if you make the time, there’s often an additional cut off time set by the Boston Athletic Association if too many people time qualify. This year, the cut off time was a record 6 minutes and 51 seconds under the qualifying standard.
Age GroupMENWOMENNON-BINARY18-343hrs 00min3hrs 30min3hrs 30min35-393hrs 05min3hrs 35min3hrs 35min40-443hrs 10min3hrs 40min3hrs 40min45-493hrs 20min3hrs 50min3hrs 50min50-543hrs 25min3hrs 55min3hrs 55min55-593hrs 35min4hrs 05min4hrs 05min60-643hrs 50min4hrs 20min4hrs 20min65-694hrs 05min4hrs 35min4hrs 35min70-744hrs 20min4hrs 50min4hrs 50min75-794hrs 35min5hrs 05min5hrs 05min80 and over4hrs 50min5hrs 20min5hrs 20min
6:30 am ET April 21, 2025
Where is the Boston Marathon start line? Finish line?
Katie Landeck
For the last 101 years, the Marathon has started in Hopkinton. When the Marathon was founded in 1897, runners started from Metcalf’s Mill in Ashland, but the starting line was moved to Hopkinton in 1924.
The final stretch of the Marathon is on Boylston Street, where the runners Mile 26, knowing they’re nearing the finish line.
The Boston Marathon finish line itself is at 655 Boylston St, Boston.
6:15 am ET April 21, 2025
How long is the Boston Marathon?
Katie Landeck and Margie Cullen
Like all marathons, the Boston Marathon is 26.2 miles long, or 42.195 kilometers. The marathon traces its roots to ancient Greece. According to legend, Pheiidippides ran from the plains of Marathon to Athens to deliver the news that the Greek Army had won a crucial battle against the invading Persian Army.
“Rejoice, we are victorious,” he announced before falling dead.
While his run was only 24.8 miles, it became the story behind the modern Olympic Marathon. The marathon distance was lengthened to 26.2 miles to suit the wishes of the British royal family in the 1908 Olympic Games and this distance became the Olympic standard in 1924.
How long will the Boston Marathon take?
How long it will take you to complete the Boston Marathon depends on a myriad of factors, including your personal fitness and the weather.
The fastest ever Boston Marathon was run by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 in a time of 2:03:02.
But most people won’t complete the marathon that quickly. According to the Marathon Handbook, the average Boston Marathon finish time from 2000 to 2022 is 3:52:40.
There are still many runners who finish after that time. The last runner in the 2024 Boston Marathon results finished in a time of 7:11:06.
6:00 am ET April 21, 2025
How to get to the Boston Marathon via the MBTA Green Line
Katie Landeck
There are multiple spots people can safely watch from, depending on what time they get there and what part of the race they want to see, according to the Boston Marathon website.
The best and easiest places to observe the marathon are Newton and Brookline. Both are accessible via the MBTA; make sure to remember that Copley station is closed for Marathon Day. In addition to Copley station, above-ground Green Line stops at South Street (B branch), Kent Street (C branch), and St. Mary’s Street (C branch) will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To get to Newton on the MBTA, take the Green Line D line and get off at the Woodland stop, which is near the 17-mile mark on the south side of the racecourse. You’ll be able to see the 35-kilometer split from there and watch runners take on Heartbreak Hill.
To watch the race from Brookline, get on either the B, C, or D trains to the Cleveland Circle area. You’ll be able to watch the 38-kilometer split in the late morning.
From there, you can either try to keep up with the runners and join them at the finish line at Boylston Street in Boston or enjoy the fine amenities the city has to offer.
5:45 am ET April 21, 2025
How to track a Boston Marathon runner
Katie Landeck
The BAA Racing App will also host the race’s leaderboards and unofficial results for runners as they cross the finish line.
The BAA website will offer the ability to search for athletes during the race and view leaderboards in real time.
5:30 am ET April 21, 2025
Boston Marathon Start Times 2025
Katie Landeck
- Men’s Wheelchair – 9:06 a.m. EST
- Women’s Wheelchair – 9:09 a.m. EST
- Handcycles & Duos – 9:30 a.m. EST
- Professional Men – 9:37 a.m. EST
- Professional Women – 9:47 a.m. EST
- Para Athletics Division – 9:50 a.m. EST
- Wave 1 – 10 a.m. EST
- Wave 2 – 10:25 a.m. EST
- Wave 3 – 10:50 a.m. EST
- Wave 4 – 11:15 a.m. EST
There is also a military march occurring at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and these start times are subject to change, the website said.
5:01 am ET April 21, 2025
What are the Boston Marathon road closures?
Katie Landeck
A number of road closures will be in effect for the Boston Marathon. Here’s what to know.
Hopkinton
As the start of the race, Hopkinton starts closing roads immediately surrounding the start line and town common (Main Street, Ash Street, Park Street, and Hayden Rowe) at 6:30 a.m. Other roads leading to the downtown will close at 7 a.m.
They include:
- West Main Street at Lumber Street
- Wood Street at Elm Street
- Hayden Rowe Street at Chestnut
- Ash Street at Blueberry Lane
- Cedar Street at Legacy Farms North
- East Main Street at every intersection
Find maps of road closureshere and here.
Ashland
The Ashland Police Department said on Facebook that “Route 135 Eastbound and Westbound in Ashland will close at 7:15 am on Monday, April 21. No vehicular traffic will be allowed on Route 135 after 7:30. Cross traffic will be permitted until 8:30 am. After that time, the route will remain closed to all vehicular traffic until all the runners are through Ashland.”
Newton
According to the Newtown Police Department, “roads along the marathon route—including Washington Street (Route 16), and Commonwealth Ave (Route 30)—will be closed to vehicle traffic starting at approximately 08:00 am in the morning and will remain closed until approximately 06:00 pm.”
Brookline
In Brookline, road closures will start at 8 a.m.
“Beacon Street will be closed to all vehicle traffic from 8 am until 6 pm, so please to plan accordingly. Crossing Beacon Street is limited for most of the day,” the city said in a press release. “The designated cross-points for pedestrians are the following:
