The Boston Marathon - deeply rooted in tradition and excellence - will run it's 130th edition in 2026.
Roughly 30,000 runners from nearly 130 countries and all 50 states are expected to take part in the 2026 Boston Marathon which will take place on April 20th.
The Boston Marathon is globally renowned for being the world's oldest annual marathon, and is an Abbott World Marathon Major.
It is a highly selective race, and participants must meet strict age-dependent qualifying times to enter.
2026 Boston Marathon Dates & Start Time
The 2026 Boston Marathon will take place on April 20, 2026.
Women will begin between 9:45 and 10:00 AM ET, while the men will begin between 10:00 and 10:30 AM ET.
2026 Boston Marathon Course
The Boston Marathon course begins at the Hopkinton Town Common just West of Boston, and the finish will be outside of the Boston Public Library on Boylston St in downtown Boston.
Runners will begin in Hopkinton, run through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline before finishing in Boston.
The route begins on East main St, before turning into West Union St in Ashland. They then follow Union St until branching off onto Waverly St into Framingham. Waverly St becomes West Central St in Natick, then Washington St in Wellesley. When runners arrive in Newton, they will turn right on Commonwealth Ave. There is a long stretch on Commonwealth Ave before a right on Chestnut Hill, and a left onto Beacon St. Runners will follow Beacon St through Brookline before turning back onto Commonwealth Ave in Boston. From Commonwealth Ave the course turn right on Hereford St, before making its final turn onto Boylston St for three blocks before the finish line.
How to Watch the 2026 Boston Marathon
The 2026 Boston Marathon will be broadcast on ESPN2 in the United States. Local residents can also tune in on WCVB Channel 5.
Streaming will be available on the ESPN App, and live tracking will be available on BAA.org and the BAA Racing App.
Boston Marathon Historic Records
The first Boston Marathon took place on April 19th, 1897.
Roberta Gibb was the first woman to famously run the marathon in 1966 when she jumped out of the bushes in Hopkinton and completed the races in 3:21:40. A year later, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to complete the race with a bib number.
The Boston Marathon became the first major marathon to include a wheelchair division in 1975.
Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai set the men's Boston Marathon record in 2011 with a time of 2:03:02.
Kenya's Sharon Lokedi set the women's record in 2025 with a time of 2:17:22.
