The Boston Marathon Monday morning comes alive with the sunrise in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
It’s a day of celebration, road closures and a dazzling run as it passes the 130-year milestone.
From weather forecasts and start times to timetables and route maps, we’ve got you covered.
The 2026 Boston Marathon is expected to attract more than 30,000 athletes from nearly 130 countries, with participants from all 50 states, according to the Boston Athletic Association.
The Boston Marathon is a tough challenge to tackle, and it just keeps getting tougher with each passing year.
According to the BMA, “This year, the cutoff time needed to be accepted into the Boston Marathon was four minutes thirty-four seconds or faster (4:34) than the qualifying time for each respective age group and gender. »
Where is the Boston Marathon going?
The Boston Marathon begins on Main Street in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
Athletes will then follow Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley to where Route 135 turns onto Route 16.
The course follows Route 16 to the Commonwealth Avenue fire station, a point where runners will turn right and begin the Newton Hills stretch.
After Heartbreak Hill, from mile 20 to 21, runners will cross Chestnut Hill Reservoir before turning left onto Beacon Street.
From there, runners will have approximately four miles to the finish line.
They will continue through Brookline, Kenmore Square and under Massachusetts Avenue.
Finally, the iconic turns await you at the finish: right into Hereford Street and left into Boylston Street for the final sprint.
The marathon finish line is located near the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.
What time does the Boston Marathon start today?
The 130th running of the Boston Marathon will kick off the first men’s wheelchair race at 9:06 a.m. ET, with the following start times for athletes competing in the day’s races as indicated by the association.
Women’s wheelchair at 9:09 a.m. ET
Handcycle & Duo participants at 9:30 a.m. ET
Pro Men at 9:37 a.m. ET
Professional Women at 9:47 a.m. ET
Para Athletics Divisions at 9:50 a.m. ET
Wave 1 at 10 a.m. ET
Wave 2 at 10:25 a.m. ET
Wave 3 at 10:50 a.m. ET
Wave 4 at 11:15 a.m. ET
The 2026 Boston Marathon will be covered live by ABC for all Boston area viewers, beginning at 4 a.m. this Monday, April 20, 2026.
