BOSTON, Massachusetts – The 129th Boston Marathon is just around the corner, and racers are preparing for the world’s oldest marathon, which kicks off on Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 21, 2025.
As one of the six World Marathon Majors, the race draws tens of thousands of competitors and spectators each year, all eager to witness the thrilling 26.2-mile race from Hopkinton to Boston.
Organized by the Boston Athletic Association and presented by Bank of America, the marathon promises fierce competition from both professional and amateur runners.
When and Where is the Marathon?
The Boston Marathon will take place on Monday, April 21, 2025.
The race, held on Patriots’ Day, always falls on the third Monday of April. The elite men and women will start at approximately 4:37 PM East African Time (ET) and proceed along the scenic yet challenging course.
The Course:
The marathon covers 26.2 miles, starting in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and passing through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline before heading into Boston.
The race ends on Boylston Street, near the iconic Boston Public Library.
The course map with mile markers, elevation details, and other information can be found on the official Boston Marathon website.
How to Watch:
For those unable to attend in person, the 2025 Boston Marathon will be broadcast on WCVB Channel 5 in Boston from 4 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET.
Regional simulcasts will air on WMUR (Manchester, NH), NMTW (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY).
For viewers outside the Northeast, ESPN will air the race from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.
Notable Runners and Defending Champions:
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, the defending women’s champion, is looking to make history by becoming the first woman to win three consecutive Boston Marathon titles since Fatuma Roba achieved this feat in 1999.
Obiri, a three-time Olympic medalist, faces tough competition from a field of strong contenders, including world champion Amane Beriso, 2022 London Marathon champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw, and two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat.
In the men’s division, defending champion Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia returns as the fastest entrant, with a personal best of 2:01:48, making him the fourth-fastest marathoner in history.
Other top competitors include two-time winner Evans Chebet, Chicago Marathon champion John Korir, and world champion Victor Kiplangat, who is aiming to become the first Ugandan man to win in Boston.
Prize Money:
This year’s race offers a record prize purse, the largest among the six World Marathon Majors, totaling $1,141,000 (Ksh 147.8 million).
If Obiri clinches her third victory, she will walk away with $150,000 (Ksh 19.4 million).
A second-place finish guarantees $75,000 (Ksh 9.7 million), while third place secures $40,000 (Ksh 5.1 million).
Additionally, breaking the course record of 2:19:59, set by Buzunesh Deba in 2014, would earn Obiri an extra $50,000 (Ksh 6.4 million).
History in the Making:
A win by Obiri would place her in an elite club alongside athletes like Fatuma Roba and Rosa Mota, the only women to have won the Boston Marathon three times in a row.
A victory would also put her on track to surpass Catherine Ndereba, the most successful woman in Boston Marathon history with four titles.
