The World's Oldest and Most Storied Annual Marathon
On April 20, 2026, Boston comes to a standstill for its marathon. The 130th edition of the Boston Marathon, the world's longest-running annual marathon, brings together the world's fastest runners, thousands of qualified amateurs, and spectators lining the 42-kilometer route from Hopkinton to Back Bay.
This year's edition has several storylines worth following: a new start wave format, a stacked elite field with anticipated rematches, and weather forecasts that should put smiles on the faces of performance-focused runners.
On the organizational side, the biggest change this year is the shift from four to six start waves. The goal is to better distribute the roughly 30,000 participants along the course and improve the experience for both runners and spectators. The first two waves contain the bulk of time-qualified runners.
The Elite Field: Must-Watch Rematches
On the professional side, the defending champions are both back. Sharon Lokedi of Kenya, who dominated the 2025 women's race, returns to defend her title on a course she now knows well. Her ability to surge in the final miles makes her a strong favorite.
In the men's race, John Korir, Kenya's 2025 champion, is also back. The course's signature challenge, Heartbreak Hill at kilometer 30, has historically been where races are won or lost, and Korir's strength late in races makes him dangerous at exactly that moment.
In the wheelchair divisions, Swiss champion Marcel Hug returns to defend his title. His dominance across the major marathon wheelchair races is such that the real suspense often comes from whether he can challenge his own course record.
The Weather: Finally Ideal Conditions?
Boston is famous for unpredictable race-day conditions. Heat has derailed numerous promising performances over the decades, and headwinds in the final stretch are something every Boston veteran knows to plan for.
For this 130th edition, the National Weather Service is calling for temperatures around 56°F (13°C), which is almost perfectly within the window for strong marathon performances. Not cold enough to make the opening miles rough, not hot enough to wreck the back half. If those forecasts hold, expect some strong finishing times.
How to Watch and What to Look For
This year's broadcast has a new home. Very Local, a streaming app providing 24/7 access to local news and original programming, is the exclusive nationwide broadcaster of the 130th Boston Marathon. You can watch on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, or Android TV devices.
If you're training for a marathon yourself, watching the elite race is genuinely instructive. Pay attention to how the leaders manage Heartbreak Hill, their pacing through the first half, and how the final few kilometers unfold. There are real tactical lessons even if your goal is a 4-hour finish rather than a 2-hour one.
Boston remains what it's always been: proof that commitment, consistency, and love of running lead somewhere. Every one of the 30,000 runners toeing the start line on April 20 is evidence of that, regardless of their finishing time.