Boston Marathon 2026 live updates: TV, time, results and route map

Steve Gardner, USA TODAY Mon, April 20, 2026 at 12:13 PM UTC

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Race day is finally here! In celebration of Patriots' Day, the 2026 Boston Marathon is set to wind its way over a 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to the traditional finish line on Boylston Street.

An estimated 30,000 racers will take to the streets for the 130th edition of the world's oldest continuously run marathon.

Defending women's and men's champions Sharon Lokedi and John Korir will lead their respective fields in what should be perfect conditions for racers, with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 40s.

USA TODAY will be providing updates throughout the day on the progress of the runners, as well as any other activities happening along the race route.

How to watch 2026 Boston Marathon

The 2026 Boston Marathon will be broadcast on WCVB Channel 5 in Boston (and its regional sister stations) from 4 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET.

For those outside the Northeast, the race will air live on ESPN2 from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. ET.

Boston Marathon weather

It's a little chilly in Beantown as marathon competitors begin making their way to the starting line in Hopkinton. According to AccuWeather, the mercury sat at a nippy 39 degrees at 8 a.m. ET on the way to a high around 50 this afternoon.

A slight breeze will be coming out of the west throughout the day at up to 10 mph, providing a nice tailwind for the runners for most of the course.

The professional racers all congregate at a hotel across from the finish line in downtown Boston before boarding buses that will take them to the start. The anticipation is palpable, as evidenced by this on-the-scene report from WCVB-TV.

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What time is 2026 Boston Marathon?

The Boston Marathon staggers its start times for racers with the wheelchair participants starting first. The professional racers, both men and women, get a jump on the rest of the field – which is broken up into six different waves.

9:06 A.M. ET – Wheelchair Division – Men

9:09 A.M. ET – Wheelchair Division – Women

9:30 A.M. ET – Handcycles & Duo Participants

9:37 A.M. ET – Professional Men

9:47 A.M. ET – Professional Women

9:50 A.M. ET – Para Athletics Division

10:00 A.M. ET – Wave 1

10:15 A.M. ET – Wave 2

10:28 A.M. ET – Wave 3

10:41 A.M. ET – Wave 4

11:01 A.M. ET – Wave 5

11:21 A.M. ET – Wave 6

Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) crosses the finish line to win the 2025 Boston Marathon.Notable 2026 Boston Marathon entrants

The Boston Athletic Association's website lists several celebrities, sports stars and other notable names who are running in the 2026 marathon. Among them:

Bryan Arenales, 2025 Love Island Season 7 winner

Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon Champion

Zdeno Chara, former Boston Bruins captain

Chelsea Clinton, author and advocate

Jeff DaRosa, musician, Dropkick Murphys

Laura Green, running comedian

Chris Herren, former Boston Celtics player

Kristine Lilly, former Team USA soccer player

Des Linden, 2018 Boston Marathon Champion

Suni Williams, astronaut and trailblazer

2026 Boston Marathon course

The 26.2-mile marathon course begins in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and heads through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline before going into Boston and finishing on Boylston Street, next to the Boston Public Library.

The full course map with mile markers, elevation and more information can be found on the Boston Marathon's website.

Boston Marathon map

The race starts in staggered waves at Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on Main Street. Runners proceed along Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and Wellesley before merging onto Route 16 into Newton. From there, the course turns onto Commonwealth Avenue and ascends the challenging Newton Hills, including the famous Heartbreak Hill between miles 20 and 21.

Afterward, it passes the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and continues onto Beacon Street through Brookline and Kenmore Square. The final stretch includes the well-known right turn onto Hereford Street and a left onto Boylston Street, culminating at Copley Square beside the Boston Public Library. — Elizabeth Flores

Who won 2025 Boston Marathon?

Last year, Sharon Lokedi of Kenya obliterated the course record by more than two minutes, using a blistering kick down the stretch to win the women's division in 2 hours, 17 minutes and 22 seconds.

In the men's race, Kenyan John Korir used a strong move around Mile 20 to separate himself from the rest of the leaders and win in 2:04:45. The victory allowed Korir to join his older brother, Wesley, as the only siblings to win the Boston Marathon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boston Marathon live updates: TV, time and where to watch today

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