Photo: Stewart Dawson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Boston Marathon
The 2026 Boston Marathon took place on April 20, 2026. Race details below are kept for reference and results.
Boston Marathon was held on April 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Distances contested: Full Marathon, 5K. Results, past champions and race heritage are below.
2026 result
About this race
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, run every Patriots' Day since 1897 from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in the heart of Boston. It is the only Abbott World Marathon Major that most runners must qualify to enter, and its point-to-point, net-downhill course — infamous for the Newton hills and Heartbreak Hill near mile 20 — is so fast that even record-breaking winning times cannot be ratified as world records.
Is this race a fit?
These notes are generated from listed Sunday Marathon race facts. They are meant for shortlisting and planning, not as a replacement for official organizer instructions.
- Date And Schedule
Boston Marathon is currently listed for April 20, 2026, which makes the April planning window important for training and travel. Recheck official timing before race week.
- Location Base
Plan around Boston, Massachusetts, United States, then verify the exact start area, finish area, packet pickup, and post-race exit route before booking non-refundable travel.
- Course Fit
Listed course signals include road surface, point to point course, certified course, Boston qualifier listing. Use them to compare effort, pacing risk, and training fit before relying on the race for a specific goal.
- Entry Readiness
A registration path is listed; review entry rules, refund terms, and transfer policies before paying.
Key facts
- Date
- April 20, 2026
- Start area
- Hopkinton Town Green — Hopkinton, MA to Boston, MA — confirm the exact start with the organizer
- Events
- Full Marathon, 5K
- Entry from
- $235.00 — confirm on the official source
- Surface
- Road · Certified
- Certified course
- World Athletics
- Official source
- Registration page & official site
- Listing status
- Verified · updated Jul 14, 2026
Before you register
- 1Confirm the race-day schedule
Verify the April 20, 2026 start times, packet pickup (collecting your race bib) and corral (your assigned start group) instructions on the official source before booking travel.
- 2Pin the exact start area
Use Massachusetts as the planning region, then confirm the precise start, finish, parking and transport with the organizer.
- 3Pick your distance
Listed options are Full Marathon, 5K. Check the source for current per-distance availability and limits.
- 4Review entry terms
Read entry rules, refund terms, participant limits and transfer rules before you pay.
Run Boston Marathon in 2027
Entry for the 2026 edition has closed, and this is a qualification-only race — check the standards in the FAQ above before you plan. Where to go next:
Frequently asked questions
When is the Boston Marathon held?
It is run every year on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. The 2026 edition took place on April 20, 2026.
How do I qualify for the Boston Marathon?
Boston is the only World Marathon Major that most runners must qualify for. You must run a certified marathon within the qualifying window and beat the time standard for your age and gender. Because demand outstrips the field size, hitting the standard does not guarantee a place — for 2026 only runners who beat their standard by 4 minutes 34 seconds or more were accepted.
What is the Boston Marathon course record?
Kenya's John Korir set the men's course record of 2:01:52 in 2026, breaking Geoffrey Mutai's 2:03:02 from 2011. The women's course record is 2:17:22, set by Sharon Lokedi in 2025.
Why don't Boston Marathon times count as world records?
World Athletics will not ratify records set at Boston because the course is point-to-point and drops more elevation than the rules allow. Even the fastest times ever run here are therefore not official world records.
Where does the course start and finish?
The 26.2-mile point-to-point route starts in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and finishes on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay, passing through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline.
What is Heartbreak Hill?
Heartbreak Hill is the last and most famous of the four Newton hills, rising between the 20- and 21-mile marks. Coming so late in the race, it has wrecked many runners' pace and given the course its fearsome reputation.
How many people run the Boston Marathon?
The field is capped around 30,000 qualified runners. The 2026 race registered 32,073 athletes and recorded 29,025 finishers.
How much do the winners earn?
The open-division champion earns $150,000, with $75,000 for second and $40,000 for third. A $50,000 course-record bonus is also on offer — John Korir collected $200,000 in 2026 for winning and breaking the record.
Who organises the race and who sponsors it?
It is organised by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.). Bank of America became title sponsor in 2025, taking over from John Hancock, which had backed the race since 1986.
Heritage
The world's oldest annual marathon, contested every Patriots' Day since 1897 from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. Boston is the only World Marathon Major you must qualify to enter, and its net-downhill, point-to-point course means even record-shattering winning times cannot be ratified as world records.
Past champions
Winners of Boston Marathon through the years, kept as a public record. Listed here and it’s you? Claim your result to link it to your profile.
Results sourced from public records. Spot an error? Let us know.
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