© Marathon de Boston
Boston Marathon, a race with a unique legacy
In Boston, the marathon is not only a running distance : it is an event that we live, passed down and honored. Every third Monday of April, on the Boylston Street finish line, it’s much more than a 42.195 km race that comes to an end. It’s a century old tradition that continues to be written, carried by history, public enthusiam and a unique local attachment. At the last edition, over 30 000 runners tread upon Massachusetts asphalt, embodying the passion and diversity of this mythical appointement. In this crossed interview, Jack Fleming, CEO of the Boston Athletic Association and Mary Kate Shea, Senio Director in charge of professional athletes, open to Marathons.com open up the wings of a global sports monument ahead of its 130th edition. From the singularity of the race to organizational challenges, including the crucial role of volunteers and the selection of elite athletes, they come back passionately and humbly to the big balance where is Boston a unique race in the global running lanscape of marathon.
➜ Just a few days after the 2025 edition, while the last flags were being folded away and Boylston Street had returned to its usual calm, Marathons.com had the privilege of entering the wings of the Boston Athletic Association. It’s in their historical offices, in the very heat of Boston, that Jack Fleming and Mary Kate Shea welcomed us. A unique opportunity to have a discussion, at their home, in a place suffused with memory, photographs and trophies where every decision is taken for the future of the marathon, in the deep respect of the past. A timeless moment, like this outside of time race.
In the backstages of the oldest marathon of the world, interview with Jack Fleming, the architect from the mondial influence and this international prestige, and Mary Kate Shea, keeper of Boston’s soul.
|The Boston Marathon is a legend of sport, with its first edition held in 1897 and an exceptional longevity. What feelings does this 129-year-long history inspire in you? How do you carry on this legacy while addressing the challenges of the present ?
Mary Kate Shea : Because of the history of the Boston Marathon, now in its 129th running, next year will be the 130th running of the Boston Marathon, history, legacy, and community are three pillars that drive us forward and to keep the momentum going into future years. We’re unique in that we do have that legacy and history here, which we see as setting us apart from a lot of marathons in the world.
Jack Fleming : We understand our position in being the world’s oldest annual marathon. There’s a responsibility with that position, not only to be a leader in our industry and in sport, whether it be integrity or ethics or experiential, but we see ourselves also as being stewards, for where the event has been, where it is today, and where it’s going in the future. Every event, of course, is different. Boston reflects the city of Boston. We don’t have the desire to be the biggest or the largest in terms of participants. What we always talk about here is delivering or enhancing the experience for our participants, the eight cities and towns, the volunteers, the spectators, the sponsors, and the many stakeholders. Our goal is that this is a world-class sporting event, which is inviting and embracing runners from around the world.
✓ Since 2006, the Boston Marathon has been one of the six pillars of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, alongside Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. This prestigious circuit, which brings together the world’s greatest road races, has strengthened cooperation among organizers while driving their ability to innovate and deliver ever more powerful experiences for runners.
| Boston has been a founding member of the World Marathon Majors since their creation in 2006. What does this alliance between the world’s greatest marathons mean to you? And how has this collective dynamic influenced the way you manage the event ?
Jack Fleming : The experiential aspects that first come to mind when thinking about your question are, number one, we’ve introduced a three-day fan festival at City Hall Plaza on Marathon Weekend that is for not only the participants, but for the participants’ families, but is also open to anyone who happens to be in town or who lives here. It could be someone’s first exposure to running or to the marathon, any marathon, or to the Boston Athletic Association. And we know that first impressions matter a lot. And then secondly, a new area of concentration for us has been to ensure that not only are our first finishers having this wonderful experience, but also towards the end of the race. Of course, in the middle of the race. But the end, the final finishers, deserve equally that same feeling of accomplishment, no matter what their pace is. So we were particularly happy this year when so much positive feedback came back to us because of the volunteer support, the attention that we gave everyone.
Mary Kate Shea : They are welcoming and they are engaging. When you arrive in Boston, the very first moment, whether you’re seeing and feeling the excitement on Boylston Street, which is an open finish line, going to the expo to pick up your bib, meeting with vendors, going to events like Jack mentioned, once you’re here for Marathon Weekend, you become part of our family. You’re part of the Boston Marathon family. And people return because of that feeling they get when they come to Boston. This is a very small city, and the marathon becomes the city, the city becomes the marathon on that weekend. There’s no escaping the fact that there is a marathon on Patriot’s Day in Boston Marathon.
✓ Each Major has its own personality. Berlin attracts those chasing records, London embraces diversity, and Tokyo impresses with its flawless organization. And Boston? Boston remains unclassifiable—truly one of a kind. Deeply rooted in its traditions, with its point-to-point course and inimitable atmosphere, it proudly cultivates a unique identity.
| What makes Boston truly unique in your eyes? And how do you communicate that uniqueness to runners around the world ?
Mary Kate Shea : The Boston Marathon is much more than a simple race. It’s a deeply rooted tradition in the heart of Massachussetts’s inhabitants.
✓ The Boston Marathon goes far beyond the realm of sport. It is a powerful economic and social engine for the Massachusetts region. Hotels, restaurants, shops, as well as local associations and communities, all are engaged and benefit from the event. The marathon mobilizes and supports an entire ecosystem.
| Boston and the towns along the course come alive to the rhythm of the marathon every third Monday of April, on the famous Patriots’ Day. What is the economic and social impact of the marathon on the region? And how do you work with cities, residents, and local businesses to maximize its positive outcomes ?
Jack Fleming : That benefits many, many local charitable organizations, non-profits, we call them here. And with the eight cities and towns, we’re well positioned on the calendar on the third Monday in April, so that what we have here in Boston normally is a difficult winter in terms of harsh weather, snow, etc. And people are looking forward to spring anyway. The timing of Patriots Day as a holiday, the Boston Marathon, which presents the best of Patriots Day, reflects Patriots Day, is something that everyone knows and looks forward to. It has to be organized, of course, but one of the differentiating aspects of the Boston Marathon is that it’s quite organic and it’s authentic, not overly commercialized and not overly manufactured. The eight cities and towns that comprise the Boston Marathon course each have their own character, qualities, personalities that make it truly interesting and different. We’ve grown to see something like the point-to-point nature of the course, you can see it on the wall over there, as one of our greatest assets. So it’s a journey, and we truly play that up, whereas there are advantages in some places for there to be the same start and finish, or call it a loop course, our point-to-point 26-mile, 385-yard journey really epitomizes the marathon or what it is to.
Mary Kate Shea : In 2025, the race gathered more than 32 000 runners from 129 countries. The estimated economic impact of the Boston Marathon in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, so beyond Greater Boston, was $509 million, so half a billion dollars in 2024. We would expect a similar or slightly greater number in 2025, but that study is not complete yet. And going hand in hand with that is the fact that a very small percentage of the race, which is about 2,000 individuals, raised over $50 million for local charities, to benefit local charities. So the average per charity bib raised is upwards of $14,000 this year per person.
✓ Behind the images of the crowd on Boylston Street and the emotions at the finish line, there are several months of preparation. The Boston Athletic Association relies on meticulous organization, with the help of dedicated volunteers and a permanent staff, to orchestrate a world-class event.
| Organizing the world’s oldest marathon in a city so emotionally tied to the event is a constant challenge. What are the most complex stakes of this undertaking? How many people composed your team in a year and during the race week ?
Jack Fleming : First of all, our Boston Athletic Association is a 40-person nonprofit staff. We have our support coming from an 11-member board of governors, which has a board chair. But in support or led by the staff, which you see right here, are approximately 325 captains of volunteers, which are over 9,500 general volunteers. We also have a race committee of approximately 110 consultants, part-time individuals, or some of those on the race committee are also volunteers. They are officials, could be referees, this type of team member. In terms of challenges, the popularity of our sport post-COVID is incredible. So, satisfying demand is one of our challenges. When we have, as we talked about, our traditional course, we’re not going to be changing the Boston Marathon course, which has remained essentially unchanged for 129 years. But lots of people want to run the Boston Marathon. We have qualifying times for 79%.The other 21% are invitational, most of whom are, as Mary Kate stated, raising money for charity, that goes directly to charity. So meeting demand is a challenge for us. We will not be able to meet all of the demand. And so we’ll always be thinking about how we can be more efficient, if there are improvements that we can bring to bear, so that we can have maybe a few more people in the race, but it will never be thousands and thousands of thousands more. It’s probably one of our most frequently asked questions. But once someone comes to Boston and they see, or they don’t even have to come to Boston, they can watch the broadcast or see pictures, they see the relatively narrow nature of the course, the width, and they also see the staging areas, they understand. We have more than 10,000 volunteers for a 30,000-person event. And those volunteers, many have been coming back for decades, but they are highly invested. They are welcoming and they are engaging.
✓ Unlike modern standards, the Boston Marathon route does not meet the criteria for world record eligibility. Nor does it feature official pacers.These are deliberate choices, reflecting a distinct philosophy: here, authenticity takes precedence over pure performance.
| The Boston Marathon is not eligible for world records because of the distance between the start and finish lines, as well as its net elevation drop of approximately 140 meters. Is this a concern for you? Could you consider a major redesign of the course to meet world record criteria ? Another unique aspect of the Boston Marathon is the absence of official pacers. What are the reasons behind this choice ? In the near future, could you think about using pacers for Elite athletes ?
Mary Kate Shea : We have had world records here, but when the IAAF, now the World Athletics, formed, they came from a track background, which set some parameters for road races as well. So they set the rules for road races, and did not grandfather in the Boston Marathon. So they’re taking into consideration net downhill, elevation, wind, you know, is it circular ? Is it an out and back ? And we have embraced who we are. Since those world records have been set, we have had world best both in the wheelchair field and in the open field. And athletes recognize the importance of adding the Boston Marathon to their portfolio. It does not deter them from recognizing their achievements here in Boston, nor does it deter us from recognizing their achievements here in Boston. That’s where the problem lies, because when the rules were instated, really the courses they were looking at were very fast and flat courses, and those became world record eligible, but challenging courses like the Boston Marathon were not.
And really, the course was laid out similar to Olympic style course, and the racing is championship style racing. No pace setters. No pace setters, you’re running on your own. Depth of field. Depth of field, you have to strategize. Many countries. Many, many countries, and we’re really proud about that, and the athletes enjoy that experience as well.
Jack Fleming : We would want to be, and we are, have been respectful of the terminology world record, but we like to use world best, and we have been. Even in very, very recent years, whether it be with Marcel Hug in the men’s wheelchair division last year and setting that incredible, not only course record, but world best performance. We, again, similar to seeing it is believing it in terms of what our capacity could be in terms of registration, once someone runs the Boston Marathon, maybe then they see that the topography of the Boston Marathon does not offer any sort of aid or advantage, primarily because of the placement of difficult hills in the area of 16 to 21 and a half, so very difficult course. And the times, we have great performers who participate in the Boston Marathon, ask anyone and no one would say it’s an aided course. I think all of our races really are, I’m thinking of our half marathon. We’re known for being, Boston Marathon is being tough, and so you need to come here to compete. Half marathon, it’s difficult, you’re coming here to compete. It’s what Mary-Kate tells them at the technical meeting or in recruiting. It’s like, hey, you might run a fast time, but this is about competition, and about first place, second place, third place, top ten, whatever it may be, and we love to see competition, which is the essence of sport. There are no assistants along the way. They have to take their own, we are very big rules followers.
« As far as I know, 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’re allowed to repaint it several times a year to keep it sharp and clearly visible. «
Mary Kate Shea
| In 2025, the world of running continues to evolve. What new developments or priorities are you focusing on for the 2026 edition ? Whether in terms of logistics, technology, or the overall spectator experience ?
Mary Kate Shea : Absolutely. So it is something we always do examine, look at, and consider. At the same time, we’re trying to also be accessible to people who are para-athletes. Local. And so we have seven para-divisions here in Boston. We offer more accessibility in the marathon for those divisions than the Paralympics Games. So we have seven divisions there. Plus we have the wheelchair division, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of wheelchair racing. We were the first marathon to provide accessibility for wheelchair races, and they’ve been celebrated throughout those many, many years.
Jack Fleming : We understand the tension of, that we’re, or the pressure, really, that we’re under, but we’re, at the same time, an important local event, an important national event, and an important international event. Local is certainly very, very important to us in terms of being in touch, in tune, accessible to locals as well. We have programs that are developmental in nature to work with local runners to get them on their journey in hopes of them being able to one day run the Boston Marathon.
| Boston is also recognized for its commitment to diversity and accessibility. What actions are you taking to best represent various communities, including women, minorities, and athletes with disabilities?
Mary Kate Shea : We really want to be the best in class for accessibility. We want to be an industry leader. We work in collaboration with a lot of the major marathons around the world and sharing what our initiatives are. Encouraging them. Encouraging them to follow. We are the only marathon in the world to offer prize awards for all para divisions. We have seven divisions in the marathon, and we have five divisions in our distance medley events. Three deep ? Ten deep in the marathon for wheelchair, and then three deep for para. So across the board, we are finding ways to support para athletes and adaptive athletes. We have classifications which can move an adaptive athlete up to a prize award division, which is adaptive to para. And what we’re trying to do here is really understand that sport is an amazing thing. Being able to run a marathon is an amazing feat. We just want to open the doors a little bit wider and to recognize the accomplishments of all athletes.
Right now, still in the marathon, I think worldwide, more men run than women. But that’s not of concern to us at the Boston Marathon. We have equitable qualifications across all age groups and genders. We have a non-binary division as well. We wanted to support all the communities as much as possible.
Jack Fleming : I think I would underscore what Mary-Kate said, which is a large adaptive program which is intended, and we are supporting that staff-wise and organizationally for some who aspire to or who wish to move from an adaptive method of participation or position in the race to a para division. And over the past three to four years, that’s been our greatest area of growth organizationally, with not only saying we’re going to do something and publishing it on a website or making space in the race, but look at this room right here. I’m sure they’re working on some of these things that we’re talking about right now, getting on the same page. What do we have to do ? Building an infrastructure strategically thought out over multiple years that works for us, that is best practice, that’s leading the way.
There’s communication, there’s recruitment, there’s preparing the on-site preparations, educating volunteers. On-site temporary venues that must be built out. It’s exciting. It’s really exciting. Our support extends. It’s not just about the prize awards, but for the wheelchair field, and the marathon alone is about 60 athletes, and then we have a para pro division as well. And so we provide appearance money, we provide travel, lodging, meals. It’s quite comprehensive, the behind-the-scenes support that we offer. So we’re really trying to offer a foundation of support rather than just the podium that the external world sees.
We want to build it from the ground up, and we want to support it internally. And I would add that we really feel like we’re just getting going on it. We are always updating our three-year plan. We’re overwriting our three-year plan. I think it is also important to note that we are a nonprofit organization, and we do have a board of governors. And the board of governors is led by a chair of the board, and she’s a two-time Boston Marathon champion in the women’s wheelchair division. She’s a two-time New York City Marathon champion in the women’s wheelchair division. She’s a four-time Los Angeles Marathon champion in the women’s wheelchair division. She’s a Paralympian, right. Her name is Cheri Blauwet.
| Finally, the environmental question is now unavoidable for events of this scale. What is your policy regarding sustainability ? What concrete actions are you taking to reduce the marathon’s ecological footprint ?
Jack Fleming : This is of great interest to us. We are working with World Athletics on their sustainability initiatives to comply with the many, many areas of interest. And then, as well, partnering with Schneider, as our sustainability partner. The first step there was to find a true partner that would be able to work with us where we are now, assess the current state, publish it, and work and commit to improve upon each aspect of sustainability. Whether that be, of course, footprint. But also, accessibility. And governance. And all aspects that involve sustainability. We know that our participants and the city of Boston wants that.
Mary Kate Shea : We want that, too. And we’re working towards it. It will take years. But we are on our way. As some background, if you go onto World Athletics’ site and you Google sustainability, you’ll see it’s about probably 50 pieces, 50 criteria that you have to work towards.
| Two more personal questions: since taking the helm of the Boston Marathon, what has been your most memorable moment, a symbolic experience that moved you deeply ? And is there a little-known or inspiring behind-the-scenes story you’d like to share with us ?
Jack Fleming : I am at the head of Boston Marathon since 35 years. Yeah. I mean, I think the sport has iconic moments. And it’s actually not personal to me. I happen to be there along with a lot of other people. But it’s, you know, to see Med Keflezighi win in 2014 and Desiree Linden, win in 2018, two Americans that wanted to win Boston so badly. For them to come through, ultimately, in both cases, after not succeeding or near misses in the past, being able to come back and, as they say themselves, keep showing up or running to win. It was very, very, it was extremely gratifying for all of us who watched them over the many years. That’s what makes Boston amazing, you know? Yeah, We’re drawn to those champions because many times it doesn’t happen for them. Mary Kate led the way for us in the recruitment of Eliud Kipchoge. And for… When he finally was able to come a couple of years ago, you know, he didn’t win. And that’s okay. Because it tells the world that Boston is extremely difficult. And so it does shine a light on those who are able to break through. And just on Kipchoge, kudos to him for saying, you know, I know that Boston’s different. I know it’s tough. I know it doesn’t have pacers. I know it’s a different kind of course.
being sixth is not bad. It’s not bad. Well, like some Olympians. Yeah, being sixth at the Boston Marathon is not bad. It’s not what he wanted. Of course. But we still thank him for choosing to run Boston three years ago. Maybe he’ll come back.
Mary Kate Shea : I think I have a problem because I just, I love… Each race is so memorable in its own way. Whether it’s, you know, Moses Mosop losing to Geoffrey Mutai by three seconds to run a 2.02 to 2.03 or 2.06. But, yeah, from that moment to seeing that Yuki Kawauchi, who had never been on an Olympic team but had been on three world championships teams for Japan, wins through the driving rain and wind and probably one of the deepest feels ever assembled to prevail. Also 2018. To see Desiree Linden, you know, just crush it. But there’s been so many wonderful, wonderful champions. Helen Obiri, Evans Chebet, Catherine Ndereba Just so many iconic moments on Boston Street. I couldn’t single one out. You know, you have to have that mindset that it doesn’t matter. What your personal best time is when you come to Boston. It does not matter. That goes out the window. What goes into play is how well you can adapt to all the changes along the race course. How gritty you are, how tough you are. How you can just go that extra percentage.
comme un hommage permanent aux milliers de coureurs qui s’y succèdent chaque édition.
© Marathons
| Do you already have a vision for what the next editions of the Boston Marathon might look like ?
Jack Fleming : Next year, first of all, first things first, I think, for the 130th, it will be the bookend to an important American celebration in that it will be the 250th anniversary of the United States. So a celebration that started with Patriots Day 2025 will extend for 16 months through the 2026 Boston Marathon, also on Patriots Day, and that excitement will already have started for July 4th, 2026, Independence Day here. Next year is the World Cup in the United States, tall ships in Boston and in five other cities in the United States. So it will be… We really feel like we’re part of that. A celebration. And, yes, in 2030, it will be the city of Boston’s 400th anniversary, having been founded in 1630. So how will the Boston Marathon be part of the city’s 400th anniversary celebration? We’re already in conversation with the mayor’s office and city of Boston officials on that.
| Aside from the races you organize, is there one that holds a special place in your heart?
Jack Fleming : I actually like the 10K because our BAA 10K. And outside of races that we organize, I, my first thought is with the Bank of America 13. 1 mile half marathon in Chicago, which is a very different presentation of a half marathon in that it’s on Chicago’s west side. I’m very impressed with how communities come together on Chicago’s west side to go through three city parks with the intention of highlighting neighborhoods that aren’t normally thought of when you think of road racing or distance running. And they’ve done a magnificent job.
Mary Kate Shea : I was going to say like the Nipmuck Trail Marathon. I would have to say, for me, being a runner. Outside of Boston, I’d say The Vermont 50 miles or 100 miles. And the reason as a runner that I like it is that, and I’ve run Boston many times. Boston is my favorite marathon. When you run Boston, it is, for a lot of people, about performance, and you don’t want to disappoint yourself once you’ve made it to the starting line. And you want to put everything out there on that day in Boston. And what I like in contrast to those ultras is that it’s more of a community in a sense that we’re all in this together and everyone’s going to finish, no matter how long it takes, we’re all going to finish this race. There’s so many races around the world. Yeah. And even just in New England, you know, that are just amazing races. I haven’t really been to a stinker.
For 35 years, Mary Kate Shea and Jack Fleming have watched over the Boston Marathon like one guards a treasure : with passion, precision, and humility. Behind every bib number, every volunteer’s smile, every stride up the Newton hills, it is their vision that shapes the race’s unique magic. In Boston, runners aren’t just chasing a time, they’re running to be part of something greater than themselves. And on the dawn of its 130th edition, this living legend of the running world continues to reinvent itself without ever losing its soul.
➜ L’édition 2026 du Marathon de Boston aura le 20 avril prochain, découvrez toutes les infos !
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