The Boston Marathon: more than just a race, a legacy
In Boston, the marathon isn’t just something you run, it’s something you live, pass down, and honor. Every third Monday in April, on Boylston Street, what concludes is far more than a 42.195-kilometer race. It’s the continuation of a tradition over a century old, shaped by history, fueled by an electrifying crowd, and sustained by a uniquely local pride. At the most recent edition, over 30,000 runners took to the streets of Massachusetts, embodying the diversity and passion that have made this event truly legendary. In this joint interview, Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the Boston Athletic Association, and Mary Kate Shea, Senior Director of Professional Athletes, take us behind the scenes of a global sporting icon as it approaches its 130th running. From the course’s distinct character to the challenges of race logistics, including the indispensable role of volunteers and the careful selection of elite athletes, they reflect, with both passion and humility, on the delicate balance that makes Boston a marathon like no other on the world stage.
➜ Just days after the 2025 edition, as the final flags were packed away and calm returned to Boylston Street, we had the rare privilege of stepping behind the scenes at the Boston Athletic Association. In their historic offices, located in the heart of Boston, Jack Fleming and Mary Kate Shea welcomed us for an intimate conversation. It was a unique opportunity to meet them on their home turf, a space filled with history, photographs, and trophies, where every decision about the marathon’s future is made with deep respect for its past. A timeless moment, much like the race itself, one that exists outside of time.
Behind the scenes of the world’s oldest marathon, a conversation with Jack Fleming, the driving force behind its global reach and international prestige, and Mary Kate Shea, the guardian of Boston’s spirit.
| The Boston Marathon is a true sporting legend, with its first edition dating back to 1897 and an extraordinary legacy of longevity. What does this 129-year history mean to you on a personal level ? And how do you carry that legacy forward while meeting the challenges of the present day ?
Mary Kate Shea : Next year, we will celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. History, legacy, and community are the three pillars that guide us forward and give us the momentum to carry this marathon into the future. It is a truly unique event, shaped by its heritage and rich history, and that is what sets us apart from every other marathon in the world.
Jack Fleming : We hold the distinction of being the oldest marathon in the world, and with that comes a real responsibility. This goes beyond our role as leaders in our industry and sport, whether it’s in terms of integrity, ethics, or the experience we provide. It also involves managing the event by honoring its past, embracing what it is today, and shaping what it will be in the future. We see ourselves as custodians of the event. Each edition, each race is unique. The Boston Marathon reflects the city of Boston itself. We have never aimed to be the largest marathon or the one with the most participants. Instead, we constantly ask ourselves whether we are delivering or enhancing the experience for the runners, the eight cities and towns along the route, the volunteers, the spectators, the sponsors, and the many diverse stakeholders. Our goal is to be a world-class sporting event that welcomes and unites runners from across the globe.
✓ Since 2006, the Boston Marathon has been one of the seven pillars of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, alongside Tokyo, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. This prestigious series, which brings together the world’s biggest road races, has strengthened collaboration among the organizers while encouraging them to innovate and offer ever more engaging experiences for runners.
| The Boston Marathon is more than just a race. It is a tradition deeply rooted in the hearts of Massachusetts residents. How do you ensure a memorable experience for all participants, from elite runners to charity runners and everyone in between ? Have you introduced any new initiatives in recent years to enhance the overall experience ?
Jack Fleming : The first aspect related to the experience is the introduction of a three-day fan festival at City Hall Plaza during Marathon Weekend, which is designed not only for participants but also for their families. This festival is open to anyone passing through the city or living there. For some, this race may be their first running or marathon experience in general, or their first with the Boston Athletic Association. And we know how important that first impression is. Next, we have focused on ensuring that all our runners have the best race experience possible, not just the frontrunners, but also the last finishers and everyone in between. Everyone deserves to feel the same sense of accomplishment, no matter their pace. This year, we were especially pleased to receive a lot of positive feedback thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the care we showed to every participant.
Mary Kate Shea : We have managed to bring together more than 10,000 volunteers for an event with 30,000 participants. These volunteers have been coming for decades and are deeply committed. They are welcoming and engaging. From the moment you arrive in Boston, you can see and feel the excitement on Boylston Street, where the finish line doubles as the expo area for bib pickup. You meet vendors and take part in various events around the marathon. When you’re in Boston for Marathon Weekend, you become part of the Boston Marathon family. People keep coming back because they develop a strong sense of belonging when they come to Boston. It’s a small city, and for one weekend, the marathon becomes the city, and the city becomes the marathon. It’s impossible to forget that the Boston Marathon takes place on Patriot’s Day.
✓ Each Major has its own distinct personality. Berlin attracts record chasers, London prides itself on diversity, and Tokyo impresses with its precise organization. And Boston? Boston remains in a class of its own. Rooted in tradition, with its point-to-point course and unmistakable atmosphere, it cultivates a unique identity.
| Boston and the surrounding towns come alive each third Monday in April for the famous Patriots’ Day marathon. What is the economic impact and social benefit of the marathon on the region ? And how do you work with the cities, residents, and local businesses to maximize these positive outcomes ?
Jack Fleming : The economic impact of the Boston Marathon on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, extending beyond the city itself, was $509 million in 2024, just over half a billion dollars. We expect a similar or slightly higher figure for 2025, though we cannot confirm that yet. Moreover, with the eight cities and towns along the course, Boston is well placed on the calendar, running on the third Monday of April, as you mentioned, just after what is often a harsh winter here. People look forward to the arrival of spring. Everyone knows the timing is perfect, with Patriots’ Day as a holiday. The Boston Marathon reflects the spirit of Patriots’ Day. Everyone eagerly anticipates this event. The marathon is authentic, natural, and not over-commercialized or hyped. Each of the eight cities and towns has its own unique character, qualities, and personality, which makes them all equally interesting and distinct from one another. The Boston Marathon is a kind of journey, and we build on that idea. The start and finish are at the same place, making it a loop race, which truly embodies the spirit of the marathon and is one of our greatest strengths. It’s a 42-kilometer journey that perfectly captures what a marathon is all about.
Mary Kate Shea : Alongside this, a very small percentage of the runners, about 2,000 people, raise over $50 million for local charities. This means the average amount raised per charity bib this year was more than $14,000 per person. These funds benefit a wide range of local nonprofit organizations. In 2025, the race brought together over 32,000 participants from 129 countries, highlighting its exceptional international reach.
✓ The Boston Marathon goes far beyond the world of sports. It is a powerful economic and social driver for the Massachusetts region. Hotels, restaurants, businesses, as well as local organizations and communities, all benefit from and are mobilized by the event. It engages and supports an entire ecosystem.
« The economic impact of the Boston Marathon in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, thus extending beyond Boston itself, amounted to $509 million—half a billion dollars—in 2024. We expect a similar or slightly higher figure for 2025, but we cannot guarantee it at this time. »
Jack Fleming
✓ Behind the crowds on Boylston Street and the emotions at the finish line lie months of preparation. The Boston Athletic Association relies on a finely tuned organization, balancing dedicated volunteers and a permanent staff, to orchestrate a world-class event.
| Organizing the oldest marathon in the world, in a city so deeply connected emotionally to the race, is a constant challenge. What are the most complex issues you face in your organization ? How many people make up your team throughout the year and during race week ?
Jack Fleming : Our Boston Athletic Association is made up of a staff of 40 unpaid employees. We have the support of eleven members on the Board of Governors, who oversee a board of directors. We have roughly 325 volunteer leaders supervising 9,500 volunteers. Additionally, there is a race committee of about 110 part-time consultants, some of whom also volunteer. There are officials, judges, and others involved as well. Regarding the challenges, the post-Covid popularity of our sport is incredible. Meeting the demand is one of our biggest challenges. We are not looking to change the Boston Marathon; we want to preserve its traditional nature, which has remained unchanged for 129 years. But many people want to run our race — 79% qualify by meeting the time standards, while the other 21% receive invitations, mostly to raise money for charities. It is a challenge for us to accommodate all these requests, so we are constantly thinking about how to do so and whether there are improvements we can make to allow a few more runners to join the race. This is probably the most frequently asked question. In any case, it wouldn’t be hundreds more. People understand when they arrive and see that the course is relatively narrow.
✓ Contrary to modern standards, the Boston Marathon course does not meet the criteria for world record certification. It also does not use pacemakers. These are deliberate choices that reflect a certain philosophy. Here, authenticity is valued over pure performance.
| The Boston Marathon cannot be certified for world records due to the distance between the start and finish points, as well as its net downhill elevation of about 140 meters. Is this a concern for you ? Would you consider redesigning the course extensively to meet the criteria for world record certification ? A unique feature of the Boston Marathon is that there are no pacemakers. What are the reasons behind this choice ? In the near future, might you consider using pacemakers for the elite athletes ?
Mary Kate Shea : We have had world records set in Boston, both in the able-bodied and wheelchair divisions, but when World Athletics was formed (formerly the IAAF), coming from the track and field world, they established parameters for road races as well. Boston did not fit into those categories, as factors like slight downhill stretches, hills, and wind are taken into account. Athletes recognize the significance of having run Boston in their careers, and this does not stop them from acknowledging the achievements they accomplished here. When the rules were introduced, runners were seeking very fast, flat races eligible for world records, but unique races that pose a challenge, like Boston, were not considered. The race was designed on the Olympic Games model, as a championship race, with no pacemakers; you run for yourself, develop your own strategy, and fight for your position. That’s the essence of the sport. Many runners from different countries come, and we are very proud of that — the athletes truly appreciate the experience.
Jack Fleming : We respect the term “world record,” but we prefer to use the phrase “world’s best.” Even recently, with Marcel Hug in the wheelchair category, who not only set a course record last year but also achieved the best performance in the world. The Boston Marathon’s topography offers no advantage because there are tough hills between 16 and 21.5 kilometers, making it a very challenging race. We have great competitors taking part in the Boston Marathon. No one will tell you it’s a race that gives any sort of advantage. All our races, including the Boston Half Marathon, are known for being tough — you come for a challenge, and you run mainly for the competition and the rankings, which is truly the essence of sport. You are there to compete, as Mary Kate told the runners during the technical meeting or athlete briefing. It’s like, hey, you can run a fast time, but here it’s about competition — going for first place, second place, third place, top 10, whatever it is, we love to watch the contest. There is also no assistance provided during the race. Runners have to manage on their own; we strictly enforce the rules.
« To my knowledge, it’s the only race in the world with a finish line painted like this. Thanks to an agreement with the City of Boston, we can repaint it several times a year so it stays sharp and clearly visible. »
Mary Kate Shea
| Many runners in Europe aspire to participate, but to our knowledge, you need to be very competitive to enter the lottery. Are you planning to ease the entry criteria in the future ?
Jack Fleming : That’s a very difficult question. It was big news in Europe when we noticed such high demand. Many people compete to participate with quite competitive times. We strive to be as accessible as possible while managing the different categories. We recognize that many runners want to take part in the Boston Marathon and that they dedicate years trying to achieve qualifying times, and we want to celebrate that achievement. We systematically review and consider the times, while also being inclusive of para-athletes. We are working to make the race accessible to more and more people across all categories. We know that runners sometimes take several years to meet the standards, so we want to reward their accomplishments; we review and take this into account. Meeting the demand is a real challenge for us.
| Boston is also well known for its commitment to diversity and accessibility. What actions do you take to best represent communities such as women, minorities, and people with disabilities ?
Mary Kate Shea : We ensure that Boston is accessible to para-athletes. We have seven para-athlete divisions in addition to the wheelchair division, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. We were the first marathon to offer a wheelchair race, and we have been honoring that legacy for many years. We genuinely aim to be the best in terms of accessibility, we strive to be industry leaders. We work in collaboration with many major marathons around the world and actively share our initiatives. We want to encourage others to follow our lead. We are the only marathon in the world to offer prize money across all para divisions, and we urge other organizations to do the same. We are constantly looking for ways to support para-athletes and those competing in adapted sports. A marathon is an incredible accomplishment, and being able to complete one is a remarkable achievement. We simply want to open the door a bit wider and acknowledge the success of every athlete.
Currently, more men than women participate in the marathon. However, this is not an issue for us at the Boston Marathon because we have equal qualification standards across all age and gender groups. We also have a non-binary category and one for professional para-athletes. We are doing our best to support all communities, and we truly feel like we are just beginning to implement our three-year development plan.
Jack Fleming : We understand the pressure we’re under. But at the same time, we are a major local, national, and international event. The local dimension is especially important to us, and making the marathon as open as possible to local residents is a top priority. We’re developing our local initiatives program to guide residents on a journey that could one day lead them to run the Boston Marathon. I’m confident this local program will give us valuable insight into what might eventually be applicable to national or international programs.
We have a comprehensive three-year development plan that we are continuously adapting. We’re a nonprofit organization, and we have a board of directors, which is worth emphasizing. Our Board of Governors includes Chair Cheri Blauwet, who is a two-time Boston Marathon champion in the women’s wheelchair division. She’s also won New York twice and Los Angeles four times. Cheri Blauwet, who is a Paralympic champion, brings a wealth of ideas to promote para-athletes. We’ve developed an adaptive participation model for our para divisions. For the past three years, this has been one of our main focus areas in terms of organizational growth. Whether it’s adapting the course layout, making room on the road, building infrastructure, improving communication, organizing meet-ups, or training volunteers, we’re constantly assessing what we can improve. We also have a professional para division, and we offer appearance fees. We cover travel, lodging, meals, the behind-the-scenes support we provide is very comprehensive. Our goal is to offer a strong support system, not just the podium that the outside world sees.
| Finally, the issue of environmental responsibility is now essential for events of this scale. What is your sustainability policy ? What concrete actions are you taking to reduce the ecological footprint of the marathon ?
Jack Fleming : We are working with World Athletics on their sustainability initiatives to address all these aspects. We also have a partnership in this regard with Schneider. The first step was to find a true partner who could work with us from where we are, to improve every aspect related to sustainability, carbon footprint, accessibility, governance, and everything tied to sustainable development. We know this is a priority not only for the participants and the city of Boston, but also for our organization itself.
Mary Kate Shea : This will take years, but we are on the right track. If you go to the World Athletics website, you’ll probably see that we have around fifty criteria to develop.
| Two more personal questions, since you’ve been at the helm of the Boston Marathon, what has been your most memorable moment ? A symbolic moment that deeply moved you? And do you have a little-known or inspiring anecdote from behind the scenes of the event that you would like to share ?
Jack Fleming : I’ve been at the helm of the Boston Marathon for 35 years. You know, sports offer iconic moments. I don’t have one specific personal memory, but rather memories tied to all the people I’ve met through the marathon. I was particularly moved in 2014 by Meb Keflezighi’s victory, and in 2018 by Desiree Linden’s. Both are Americans who truly wanted to win Boston, who came back several times after falling short of their goal, and finally ran to victory. It was very rewarding for all of us who had followed them for years.
Mary Kate brought in some great champions, like Eliud Kipchoge. When he was able to come a few years ago, he didn’t win and told the world just how extremely difficult Boston is. That further highlighted the greatness of those who shine in this marathon. Thanks to Kipchoge for emphasizing that this race is different from others – that it’s a tough race. That’s part of the Boston Marathon’s legacy. This legendary runner finished sixth, which isn’t bad, but it wasn’t what he wanted. We’re still grateful he chose our race three years ago.
Mary Kate Shea : I love every race, each edition is different. I remember Moses Mosop losing by just a few seconds to Geoffrey Mutai. And I’ll never forget the victory of Japanese runner Yuki Kawauchi, who never made the Olympic team but represented Japan in three World Championships. The athlete who won in 2018 under pouring rain dug deep emotionally to secure that win.
I was also amazed by Desiree Linden, and by all the incredible champions who have come, Helen Obiri, Evans Chebet, Catherine Ndereba. There have been so many iconic moments that have happened on Boylston Street. I can’t single out just one. That’s what makes Boston so special.
No matter your personal best when you come to Boston, what truly matters is how you adapt to all the changes that happen during the race, how you fight through, how you grit your teeth. The winner is the one who finds that little something extra to make the difference.
serving as a permanent tribute to the thousands of runners who cross it at each edition
© Marathons
| Do you have in mind what the next edition might look like ?
Jack Fleming : First of all, next year, for the 130th anniversary of the race, there will be a major American celebration for the 250th anniversary of the United States. The festivities will begin with Patriots Day 2025 and will extend over 16 months until the 2026 edition of the Boston Marathon and Patriots Day. The excitement will kick off on July 4, 2026, Independence Day. Next year, there will also be the World Cup in the country, as well as celebrations in other cities across the United States, and we are part of all of that. In 2030, the city of Boston will celebrate its 400th anniversary, having been founded in 1630. We are in talks with the mayors of the cities to determine what that will look like.
| Besides the races you organize, is there one that holds a special place in your heart ?
Jack Fleming : I love the 10K distance. Besides the races we organize, I first think of the Bank of America Chicago Half Marathon, which is quite different from a half marathon on the West Coast. I’m really impressed by how running communities flock to the West Coast race, which passes through three city parks designed to highlight neighborhoods you wouldn’t normally think of when you think of a road race. They do a fantastic job.
Mary Kate Shea : I was about to mention the Nipmuck Trail Marathon. I would say that one of my favorite races as a runner is the Vermont 50 or 100 miles. However, the Boston Marathon remains very special to me. There is a true sense of community here in Boston, surrounded by an incredible number of runners, no matter how long the marathon takes you. Boston is my favorite marathon. When you run Boston, for many people, what matters most is crossing that finish line. You want to give everything you have on that specific day in Boston. And that’s what I love, in contrast with ultras, where there’s more of a community feeling, in the sense that we’re all in it together and everyone will finish, no matter how long it takes, we will all complete the race.
For 35 years, Mary Kate Shea and Jack Fleming have watched over the Boston Marathon like a treasured legacy: with passion, rigor, and humility. Behind every bib, every volunteer’s smile, every stride taken on the Newton hills, it is their vision that shapes this unique alchemy. In Boston, you don’t run just for a time, you run to belong to something greater than yourself. And as the 130th edition dawns, this living legend of running continues to reinvent itself without ever betraying its soul.
➜ The 2026 edition of the Boston Marathon will take place on April 20th, discover all the details !
Emma BERT
Journaliste
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