2026 Boston Marathon Date, start times today, route map, how to watch

Boston Marathon 2026 today start times, route, Map, how to stream, watch, qualifying time and 130th race end time.

The 2026 edition of the Boston Marathon will again see some of the world’s best distance runners compete alongside a large mass participation field.

First held in the 19th century, a tough 26.2-mile course will test elite and recreational runners alike with 30,000 entrants again set to start.

One of six World Marathon Majors, it will be held on Patriots’ Day in the United States, as is traditional.

Defending champion Hellen Obiri returns but faces tough competition in a strong elite women’s field, while Sisay Lemma is also back to bid for another elite men’s title.

When is the 2026 Boston Marathon?

The 2026 Boston Marathon will be held Monday, April 20 around the Massachusetts city. 

What time does the Boston Marathon 2026?

The 2026 Boston Marathon kicks off early, with the military march starting at 6 a.m. ET. The men's and women's wheelchair races begin just after 9 a.m. ET.

While the first wave kicks off at approximately 10 a.m. ET, with Wave 4, or the last wave, beginning around 11:15 a.m. ET.

2026 Boston Marathon start times in full on Monday 

Below is a full list of start times for the 2026 Boston Marathon.

All times are ET.

Men’s Wheelchair - 9.06 am ET (2.06pm BST)

Women’s Wheelchair - 9.09 am ET (2.09pm BST)

Handcycles & Duos - 9.30 am ET (2.30pm BST)

Professional Men - 9.37 am ET (2.37pm BST)

Professional Women - 9.47 am ET (2.47pm BST)

Para Athletics Divisions - 9.50 am ET (2.50pm BST)

Rolling Start Wave 1 - 10.00am ET (3pm BST)

Rolling Start Wave 2 - 10.25am ET (3.25pm BST)

Rolling Start Wave 3 - 10.50am ET (3.50pm BST)

Rolling Start Wave 4 - 11.15am ET (4.15pm BST)

What is the finish time of 2026 Boston marathon?

The Boston Marathon finish line will close at 5:30 p.m., about six hours after the final participant crosses the starting line.

How to watch the 2026 Boston Marathon live, TV channels, streaming

USA -  Local coverage will begin at 4 a.m. ET on WCVB Channel 5 (ABC) in Boston. Live streaming is available through the Very Local app, which is only available in select cities. Local ABC channels will also carry the event in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

National coverage: NBC Sports and Peacock (USA), CBC (Canada), Eurosport (Europe), and local Boston stations (WBZ-TV/CBS).

LOCAL: The race will be exclusively simulcast regionally on WCVB Channel 5’s Hearst Television owned sister-stations WMUR (Manchester, NH), WMTW (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY).

In the UK, you can watch the Boston Marathon on TNT Sports 4, with coverage beginning at 2,30pm BST and lasting until 5.15pm. A live stream will be available via discovery+.

For international audiences, the Olympic Channel will broadcast the race on television and via streaming on Olympics.com. 

Live Streaming options include WCVB's digital platforms and the website VeryLocalBoston.com.

Boston Marathon 2026 course, route map.

The Boston Marathon 2026 (130th edition) follows the same historic point-to-point 26.2-mile (42.195 km) course used since 1897, from Hopkinton to Boston's Copley Square. It is net downhill overall but features rolling hills and the famous Heartbreak Hill, making it one of the more challenging World Marathon Majors.

Route Overview


Start: Hopkinton, Massachusetts (Main Street near Hopkinton State Park)
  

Finish: Copley Square, Boston (Boylston Street near Boston Public Library)  

Key Sections: 

Miles 1–6: Downhill start through Hopkinton → Ashland → Framingham 
 

Miles 7–12: Natick → Wellesley (famous “Scream Tunnel” at Wellesley College around Mile 12–13)  

Miles 13–20: Newton Lower Falls → Newton Hills (including Heartbreak Hill at Mile 20–21)  

Miles 21–26.2: Chestnut Hill → Cleveland Circle → Brookline → Kenmore Square → Commonwealth Avenue → right on Hereford Street → left on Boylston Street to finish

The course is certified by World Athletics and USA Track & Field, with fluid stations (Poland Spring water & Gatorade) every mile starting at Mile 2, and Maurten hydrogel depots at Miles 11.8, 17, and 21.5.

What are the qualifying times for the 2026 Boston Marathon Race.

Here are the qualifying times for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

The cut-off time for the 2026 marathon was 6 minutes and 51 seconds, meaning a runner needed to run at least 6:51 faster than the above qualifying standards shown below.

Age Group MEN WOMEN NON-BINARY

18-34 3hrs 00min 3hrs 30min 3hrs 30min

35-39 3hrs 05min 3hrs 35min 3hrs 35min

40-44 3hrs 10min 3hrs 40min 3hrs 40min

45-49 3hrs 20min 3hrs 50min 3hrs 50min

50-54 3hrs 25min 3hrs 55min 3hrs 55min

55-59 3hrs 35min 4hrs 05min 4hrs 05min

60-64 3hrs 50min 4hrs 20min 4hrs 20min

65-69 4hrs 05min 4hrs 35min 4hrs 35min

70-74 4hrs 20min 4hrs 50min 4hrs 50min

75-79 4hrs 35min 5hrs 05min 5hrs 05min

80 and over 4hrs 50min 5hrs 20min 5hrs 20min

Who is running in the Men's, Women's Elite Race of Boston Marathon?

Women’s Elite Race:

1. **Amane Beriso** – Ethiopia – 2:14:58 (Valencia, 2022)  

2. **Yalemzerf Yehualaw** – Ethiopia – 2:16:52 (Amsterdam, 2024)  

3. **Irine Cheptai** – Kenya – 2:17:51 (Chicago, 2024)  

4. **Keira D’Amato** – USA – 2:19:12 (Houston, 2022)  

5. **Rahma Tusa** – Ethiopia – 2:19:33 (Houston, 2024)  

6. **Edna Kiplagat** – Kenya – 2:19:50 (London, 2012)  

7. **Buze Diriba** – Ethiopia – 2:20:22 (Chicago, 2024)  

8. **Mary Ngugi-Cooper** – Kenya – 2:20:22 (London, 2022)  

9. **Sara Hall** – USA – 2:20:32 (Chandler, 2020)  

10. **Calli Hauger-Thackery** – Great Britain – 2:21:34 (Berlin, 2024)  

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Men’s Elite Race:

1. **Sisay Lemma** – Ethiopia – 2:01:48 (Valencia, 2023)  

2. **John Korir** – Kenya – 2:02:44 (Chicago, 2024)  

3. **Evans Chebet** – Kenya – 2:03:00 (Valencia, 2022)  

4. **CyBrian Kotut** – Kenya – 2:03:22 (Berlin, 2024)  

5. **Haymanot Alew** – Ethiopia – 2:03:31 (Berlin, 2024)  

6. **Daniel Mateiko** – Kenya – 2:04:24 (Valencia, 2024)  

7. **Alphonce Felix Simbu** – Tanzania – 2:04:38 (Valencia, 2024)  

8. **Lelisa Desisa** – Ethiopia – 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013)  

9. **Victor Kiplangat** – Uganda – 2:05:09 (Hamburg, 2022)  

10. **Asefa Boki** – Ethiopia – 2:05:40 (Amsterdam, 2024)  

Boston Marathon 2026 weather report updates

Weather shouldn't be a factor during the 2026 Boston Marathon. It's expected to be partly cloudy in Boston on Monday, with a high of 60 degrees during the day. There's a chance of rain later that evening, but it isn't expected to impact the race.

Boston Marathon: What are the course records?

Men: Geoffrey Mutai, Kenya, 2011 - 2:03:02

Women: Buzunesh Deba, Ethiopia, 2014 - 2:19:59

Men's Wheelchair: Marcel Hug, Switzerland, 2024 - 1:15:33

Women’s Wheelchair - Manuela Schar, Switzerland, 2017 - 1:28:17

Who won the 2024 Boston Marathon?

Both 2024 champions on the men's and women's side will compete again in 2025.

 Last year, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia won overall and in the men's division with a time of 2:06:17.

For the women's division, Hellen Obiri of Kenya placed first with a time of 2:22:37.

On the women's side, Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri is going for a historic victory. Obiri has won the last two Boston Marathons. If she takes home the win in 2025, it would mark the fifth time a woman has won the event in three consecutive years.

The Boston Athletic Association maintains a full list of winners at the event, dating back to 1897, the first year the Boston Marathon was held.

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