Everything you need to know about the 2026 Boston Marathon

"Be faster than the T."

"Hill? More like speed bump."

Yes, it's time to mark up your posters with creative encouragements and break out the cowbells to cheer on athletes in the 130th Boston Marathon.

As the oldest annual marathon, Boston has enough history that there's something special to commemorate every year.

This marathon marks 60 years since Bobbi Gibb made race history. She famously snuck onto the course to become the first woman to (unofficially) complete the Boston Marathon. The 26.2 Foundation commissioned Gibb, a painter and sculptor, to create a bronze statue of herself and unveiled it earlier this year.

The marathon community is also remembering Bob Hall, a pioneer of wheelchair racing, who died this month.

On Marathon Monday, 30,000 athletes from 137 countries and every state in the U.S. will flock to Hopkinton to kick off the race. Here's what you need to know:

The Boston Athletic Association added two more waves of runners to better space out the heats. Here are the start times in Hopkinton:

Look up your loved one or favorite racer by name, bib number or other info here. If you want to track their progress during the race, you'll have to download the B.A.A. Racing app.

This year's grand marshal is 1976 champion Jack Fultz. He finished first during the infamous race day dubbed "Run for the Hoses" when Boston temperatures neared 100 degrees.

Last year's winners, Sharon Lokedi and John Korir, both of Kenya, are back to defend their titles.

Lokedi broke the course record last year with a run of 2:17:22. Irine Chepet Cheptai, of Kenya, and Workenesh Edesa, of Ethiopia, both have personal bests under 2:18 and will be top contenders this year.

Korir's personal best was 2:02:24 in Valencia last year. He's facing Benson Kipruto, of Kenya, who ran the Tokyo Marathon in 2:02:16. Alphonce Felix Simbu, of Tanzania, finished second in Boston last year after an intense three-way sprint to the finish, and is taking another shot at the route.

The top two American women from last year's race are back: Jess McClain and Annie Frisbie. They finished in 2:22:43 and 2:23:21, respectively, in 2025. Emily Sisson, who set the North American record in 2022 with a time of 2:18:29 in Chicago, is also a top contender.

In the men's field, Moroccan-American Zouhair Talbi is one to watch. He became the U.S.'s third-fastest marathoner in Houston earlier this year with a time of 2:05:45. He finished fifth in the Boston Marathon in 2023.

Conner Mantz, the fastest American marathoner and first American man to finish last year's race in Boston, is not returning this year. But second and third place American finishers — Clayton Young and Ryan Ford — will be on the route.

The women's wheelchair division is leading with past Boston winners including Switzerland's Manuela Schär, the U.S.'s Tatyana McFadden and Great Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper. Last year's victor, the U.S.'s Susannah Scaroni, is not racing.

In the men's wheelchair division, eight-time winner Marcel Hug, of Switzerland, is back at it. American Daniel Romanchuk, who won in 2022 and 2019, will also be on the field.

Spectators might spot Des Linden, who triumphed in the cold, windy and wet 2018 race to become the first American to win in over three decades. She announced before last year's race (her 12th in Boston) that it would be her last professional marathon. She'll be running in Wave 1 this year.

The 1957 Boston Marathon champion Amby Burfoot will be running, as he often does, even as he nears 80 years old.

And other participating athletes best known for their accomplishments in other fields include former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, former Boston Celtics player Chris Herren and former Team USA soccer player Kristine Lilly.

Suni Williams, a NASA astronaut from Needham, is running the marathon again — in person, this time. In 2007, she became the first person to run a marathon in space, completing the distance in 4 hours and 24 minutes.

Keep an eye out for The Dropkick Murphys' Jeff DaRosa; Chelsea Clinton, the author and advocate, and daughter of the former president; and Laura Green, a running influencer and comedian.

Pretty much any spot along the marathon route is going to be a good spectator spot; it just depends on the vibe you're hoping for. Here's a quick look at some of the route's landmarks and statues honoring legendary athletes.

For the big Boston Marathon experience, the obvious spots are the starting line and finish line. They will be crowded and full of excitement.

The starting line in Hopkinton is where you want to be if you're out and about early. Members of the Massachusetts National Guard kick off the day leaving Hopkinton at 6 a.m.; the athletes will be taking off from 9 to 11 a.m.

On Boylston Street in Boston, expect the wheelchair racers to start crossing the finish line a little after 10 a.m.

In between those iconic spots, traditions have taken hold in every twist and turn of the race. The first half of the race through the suburbs is calmer; on a nice day, you'll spot groups setting up picnics and lawn chairs near the route.

At Mile 13, the so-called Wellesley Scream Tunnel is where students from the women's college traditionally gather to cheer — and kiss — the runners as they pass by.

Between Miles 20 and 21 is "Heartbreak Hill," where exhausted athletes are mustering up the strength to push up this steep half-mile, the last of four hills in Newton.

Then the race winds through Brookline's Washington Square and Coolidge Corner, onto Boston's Kenmore Square. Then it's right on Hereford and left on Boylston to the finish line.

If the weather's nice, it's a great day to meander down the route's sidelines. Just follow the daffodils.

To watch the race from home, tune into WCVB, Channel 5, which begins coverage at 4 a.m. ESPN 2 will also carry the race starting at 9 a.m. And, as always, WBUR will cover major race day stories on our website, newsletters and social media accounts.

Pack light and leave the drones at home.

The BAA's list of items not to bring as a spectator include: backpacks, suitcases, coolers, bulky packages, large blankets and glass containers. Perhaps more obvious, the list also includes a prohibition on fireworks, items like sports equipment, weapons and costumes that cover your face or expand beyond your body (like inflatable Halloween costumes).

Before we get to specific closures and suggestions for getting around them, there's one important question to think about: What side of the Marathon route are you on? It'll be easier to configure your travel to stay on your side of the route.

City officials recommend leaving the car at home and making your way to the route by walking, biking or taking public transit. We'll update this post with the MBTA's schedule when it's available.

Here's a quick look of the field this year, according to the BAA: