World Marathon Majors · Boston, United States
Boston Marathon Boston
First run in 1897, Boston is the world's oldest annual marathon and a founding member of the World Marathon Majors in 2006. Most of its field earns entry by beating a qualifying time set by age and gender, so simply getting to the start line is a goal in itself for many amateur runners.
- Next edition
- April 19, 2027
- Finishers
- 29,0332026
- Course record, men
- 2:01:52John Korir, 2026
- Course record, women
- 2:17:22Sharon Lokedi, 2025
Course map
The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 km.The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 mi.
Course profile
Elevation along the course, lightly smoothed. Hover or tap the chart to read any point; numbered markers match the list below.
Point to point
- Start
- 149 m
- Finish
- 3 m
- Total climb
- 248 m
- Total descent
- 389 m
- 15 km3.1 miAshland town centre
- 210.6 km6.6 miFramingham train depot
- 316.1 km10 miNatick town centre
- 420.1 km12.5 miWellesley College Scream Tunnel
- 521.098 km13.109 miWellesley Square (halfway)
- 625.6 km15.9 miEnter Newton
- 728.2 km17.5 miNewton Hills begin
- 833.8 km21 miNewton Hills end near Boston College (Heartbreak Hill)
- 940.7 km25.3 miKenmore Square
- 1042.195 km26.219 miFinish on Boylston Street, Copley Square
What it’s like
A point-to-point course from Main Street in Hopkinton to Boylston Street in Boston, dropping about 140 m overall, most of it in the first few miles. The descent punishes quads, and the Newton Hills between miles 17.5 and 21 arrive just as legs are tired, ending with Heartbreak Hill near Boston College. Wellesley College's "scream tunnel" comes just before halfway, and roughly half a million spectators line the route. The mid-April race has been run in widely varying weather. Because of the net drop and the distance between start and finish, times here are not eligible for world records.
How to get in
- Qualifying time
Qualifying time
Most runners must have beaten the standard for their age and gender in a certified marathon since 13 September 2025. For 2027 the standards run from 2:55 (men) and 3:25 (women and non-binary) at 18-34 to 4:50 and 5:20 at 80+. Applicants are accepted fastest-first relative to their standard, qualifiers from courses with more than 1,500 ft of net drop get 5 or 10 minutes added, and about 1,000 other qualifiers are chosen by random draw.
- Charity
Official Charity Program
The B.A.A. gives invitational entries to selected non-profit organisations, which recruit runners who commit to raising money for their cause. Runners apply to the charities directly.
Registration
Qualifier registration for 2027 ran from 14 to 18 September 2026 in the B.A.A.'s Athletes' Village platform. It was not first-come, first-served: 33,656 applications were received, with acceptance notices expected by early October 2026.
Plan your race
Facts checked against the official race website and the World Marathon Majors on September 28, 2026. Entry rules change every year: always confirm on the official site.