Boston Marathon Monday morning buzzes with sunrise in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
It’s a day of celebration, roadblocks and a dazzling race as it hits the milestone of 130 years.
From weather forecast to start time, schedule and route map, we’ve got you covered.
The 2026 Boston Marathon is expected to draw over 30,000 athletes from nearly 130 countries, with participants from all 50 states in America, according to the Boston Athletic Association.
The Boston Marathon is a tough nut to crack, and it only gets tougher with each passing year.
According to the BMA, “this year’s cut-off 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 starts 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 until the fire station at Commonwealth Avenue, a point where runners will take a right turn and begin the stretch of Newton Hills.
After Heartbreak Hill from mile 20 to 21, runners run over 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 at the finish line: right on Hereford Street and left on Boylston Street for the final sprint.
The marathon finish line is near the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.
What time does the Boston Marathon start today?
The 130th edition of the Boston Marathon starts the first men’s wheelchair race at 9:06 a.m. ET, with the following start times for athletes competing in today’s races, as provided by the association.
Women’s wheelchair at 9:09 a.m. ET
Handcycle & Duo Participants at 9:30 a.m. ET
Professional men at 9:37 a.m. ET
Professional women at 9:47 a.m. ET
Paraathletics departments at 9:50 a.m. ET
Wave 1 at 10 A.M
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 viewers in the Boston area, broadcasting from 4 in the morning on Monday 20 April 2026.
