Marathon
🏙 Capitals / Major cities🗽 Exceptional monuments📰 Culture & Histoire🏘️ In the city⛲️ Public park🌉 Bridge/Viaduct
📅Mon, April 19, 2027
🏃 Distance :26.22 mi
↗️ Elevation gain:165mD+ / -
Inspired by the success of the first Olympic marathon in Athens in 1896, the Boston Marathon was born a year later, on April 19, 1897. A member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, this legendary event stands out for its extreme difficulty and its strict system of qualifying time standards required to gain entry.
On race day, logistics are an adventure in themselves: the 30,000 participants must make their way to the start line in Hopkinton, west of Boston, before tackling the 42.195 kilometers to the finish. Once the gun goes off, the rolling course offers no respite. The challenge peaks around kilometer 33 with the dreaded Heartbreak Hill, a leg- and morale-breaker of a climb, before the course drops toward relief in the streets of Boston.
But Boston also draws its strength from resilience. Deeply scarred by the April 15, 2013 attacks, the event managed to reinvent itself. As early as the next edition in 2014, the running community showed up in force: the field was exceptionally expanded to 36,000 entrants, one of the largest in the race’s history.
This marathon takes place on Patriots’ Day, a day of celebration in Massachusetts and Maine on the third Monday in April. It commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. This symbolic public holiday is often called “Marathon Monday”.
Boston’s 42.195 kilometers were also the stage for one of the most famous cheats in marathon history. In 1980, American runner Rosa Ruiz crossed the finish line first in 2:31:56. She had actually left the course and reappeared a few kilometers from the finish after taking the subway. Her time from a few months earlier at the New York City Marathon—achieved under similar circumstances—had allowed her to qualify for Boston. Exposed by journalists and inconsistencies in her story, she was ultimately disqualified.
Boston Marathon 2027 sets a 5:17 cut-off for a race entry
The 2027 Boston Marathon admission figures are out, with more than 8,000 qualifiers missing out on a place.
Wed, September 30, 2026
Boston Marathon 2027 registration is open
Registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon is open from September 14 to 18. Find out how to enter.
Tue, September 15, 2026
Boston Marathon, a race with a legacy like no other
Go behind the scenes of the Boston Marathon with Mary Kate Shea and Jack Fleming, and discover what makes it so special.
Tue, September 2, 2025
Boston Marathon Tightens Qualification Standards
The announcement has stirred quite a buzz in the marathon world, especially across the United States. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA), which organizes the iconic Boston Marathon, has just updated its qualification rules. Starting with the 2027 edition, race times achieved on courses with significant net downhill elevation will be adjusted upwards before being accepted as qualifying times.
Tue, June 24, 2025
World Marathon Majors: How do New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Sydney, London, and Tokyo turn the marathon into an extraordinary experience?
New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Sydney, London, and Tokyo: These seven cities don’t just organize marathons—they elevate them to the status of global festivals. Each race becomes a stage where runners take the spotlight, amidst the pursuit of records, memorable selfies, and raw emotions. Welcome to the exclusive circle of the World Marathon Majors.
Thu, May 15, 2025