Photo: © Boston Athletic Association▶Boston Marathon
Boston, United States131st edition · since 1897At a glance
Boston Marathon 2027 takes place on 19 April 2027 in Boston, United States. Distances: 42.195 km. Start at 09:37 from Main Street, Hopkinton (Massachusetts).
- Date
- Monday, 19 April 2027
- Location
- Boston, United States
- Start
- Main Street, Hopkinton (Massachusetts)
- Finish
- Boylston Street, Copley Square (Boston)
- Distances
- Marathon · 42.195 km · Competitive
- Start times
- 09:37
- Registration
- Registration closed on 18 September 2026
- Official website
- baa.org ↗
- Edition
- 131st edition · since 1897
- Series
- World Marathon Majors
Last updated: 18 October 2026
The race
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon: first run in 1897, it reaches its 131st edition on Monday 19 April 2027, held as always on Patriots' Day. One of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, it is a point-to-point race starting on Main Street in Hopkinton and running through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline to the finish on Boylston Street at Copley Square, in downtown Boston.
The long early descent tests the legs, and the Newton hills, with Heartbreak Hill around km 33, arrive when fatigue sets in. Entry requires a qualifying time: for 2027 qualifiers at least 5 minutes 17 seconds under their standard were accepted, plus about 1,000 places drawn at random among the others, in a field of 30,000 completed by charity runners and invited entrants.
The fee for qualifiers is USD 270. In 2026 John Korir won in 2:01:52, a new course record, and Sharon Lokedi repeated her victory in the women's race. Bibs and shirts are collected at the free Expo at the Hynes Convention Center, open to the public.
Videos
Course
The start is on Main Street in Hopkinton, home of the start line since 1924: wheelchairs go at 9:06, the professional fields at 9:37 and 9:47 and the mass waves from 10:00 to 11:21 (2026 times). The route follows Route 135 through Ashland (from km 3.1), Framingham (from km 8, with the historic train depot at km 10.5), Natick (from km 12.1) and Wellesley (from km 18.9), where the Wellesley College Scream Tunnel greets runners just before halfway.
At Newton Lower Falls the course turns right onto Commonwealth Avenue: the Newton Hills run from km 28 to km 34, with the Johnny Kelley statue at km 31 and the crest of Heartbreak Hill at km 33.5. After the reservoir it takes Chestnut Hill Avenue to Cleveland Circle, then Beacon Street through Brookline to Kenmore Square, where the CITGO sign marks one mile to go (km 40.6).
Runners pass under Massachusetts Avenue, turn right onto Hereford Street and left onto Boylston Street for the finish by the Boston Public Library. The course is asphalt and net downhill overall, with the official elevation profile shown on the course map. Poland Spring water and Gatorade from mile 2, Maurten gels at km 19, 27.4 and 34.6, and 26 medical stations with sweep buses.
Roads reopen behind a 13:44-per-mile pace (about 8:32 per km): slower runners must move to the right and continue without support; the finish area closes around 5:30 p.m.
Entry fees
- Until 18 September 2026Quota per i qualificati accettati, addebitata solo dopo l'accettazione; Registration Protection facoltativa a parteUS$270
What's included
- Race pack
- Technical shirt
- Finisher medal
- Bag drop
- Aid stations
- Chip timing
- Cronometraggio
- Shuttle bus
- Navetta ritirati
- Medical assistance
- Race photos
Rules and requirements
Entrants must be at least 18 on race day and have run the qualifying time for their age group and gender at a certified marathon (USATF, AIMS or national federation) between 13 September 2025 and 18 September 2026. Standards range from 2:55 for men and 3:25 for women and non-binary runners aged 18-34 to 4:50 and 5:20 for those aged 80 and over; times run on courses with more than 457 metres of net downhill receive a 5- or 10-minute index, and courses beyond 1,828 metres are not accepted.
Applications are submitted in Athletes' Village during registration week (14-18 September 2026, not first come, first served) and accepted according to the margin under the standard: for 2027 the cut-off was 5:17, with another 1,000 qualifiers drawn at random. The rest of the field is made up of charity runners from the 215 organisations in the official programme, invited entrants and international runners travelling with the B.A.A.'s international tour operators.
The fee is USD 270, charged only on acceptance; it is non-refundable, non-transferable and non-deferrable except for pregnancy and postpartum deferrals, and only runners who buy Registration Protection can claim a refund. Entrants confirm they can finish within 6 hours net time: official timing ends at 5:30 p.m. Bibs are personal and collected only with photo ID; backpacks, hydration vests, selfie sticks and costumes covering the face are prohibited.
