Event Details
City:
Boston
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Date:
Apr 20, 2026
Elevation Profile:
Rolling
Elevation Gain (meters):
250 m
Net Elevation (meters):
-135 m
Race Size (runners):
32,000
Registration Details
Registration Status:
CLOSED
Registration Deadline:
CLOSED
Official Website:
Race Description
The Boston Marathon is a point-to-point race in Massachusetts that runs from Hopkinton to downtown Boston. The course begins at a higher elevation in Hopkinton and trends downhill during the early kilometers before reaching a series of rolling hills in the second half of the race. Runners pass through the towns of Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and Wellesley before entering Newton, where the course features several notable climbs including the well-known Heartbreak Hill around km 32–34. After the Newton hills, the route descends toward Boston and finishes on Boylston Street in the city center. The course combines long early downhills with late-race hills, which makes pacing strategy important.
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