Boston Marathon

Here’s everything you need to know about the 128th Boston Marathon

The time is finally here.

On April 15, tens of thousands of determined athletes from across the globe will line up in Hopkinton and undergo the 26.2-mile gauntlet to Copley Square as part of the 128th Boston Marathon.

The latest iteration of the storied race boasts one of the best elite fields in its history in 2024, with Kenya’s Evans Chebet looking to become the first man in 16 years — and fifth ever — to win the world’s oldest marathon three times in a row.

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri will look to defend her title in the women’s elite field alongside a group of 17 other women with personal bests under 2 hours, 23 minutes.

Beyond the race itself on Patriots Day, there are plenty of other events and festivities in the lead-up to the world’s oldest annual marathon.

A cherished event on the Boston sports calendar, the marathon will be televised both locally and nationally.

Here’s more info on how to watch, what to expect, and how to keep track of the schedule.

The course

Runners start off the Boston Marathon from Main Street in Hopkinton and follow Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, and Natick, then into Wellesley.

The route moves on to Route 16 through Wellesley into Newton before turning onto Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) through the Newton Hills and past the reservoir onto Chestnut Hill Avenue.

The route then turns left on Beacon Street, traversing past Kenmore Square before linking back up with Commonwealth Avenue. The home stretch includes a right turn onto Hereford Street and left onto Boylston Street before finishing at Copley Square.

For further information on the Boston Marathon route, please view this map.

Race day schedule

Men’s wheelchair: 9:02 a.m.

Women’s wheelchair: 9:05 a.m.

Handcycles & duos: 9:30 a.m.

Professional men: 9:37 a.m.

Professional women: 9:47 a.m.

Para athletics division: 9:50 a.m.

Wave 1: 10:00 a.m.

Wave 2: 10:25 a.m.

Wave 3: 10:50 a.m.

Wave 4: 11:15 a.m.

All start times are subject to change.

Have a friend or family member running? Search the field of runners here. 

Boston.com’s Ross Cristantiello has more on how you can follow your favorite runner on Patriots Day. 

What to do

Fan Fest: Free and open to the public, this three-day event at City Hall Plaza features live music and interviews with past Boston Marathon champions. 

Here is the full schedule.

The Expo: Those who are running the marathon can grab their bib number, race packet, and a t-shirt here. There’s also an Adidas Boston Marathon store. Photo ops, sponsor exhibits, and panels are among the highlights of this three-day event at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center on Boylston Street.

Here is the full schedule. 

Mile 27: This Monday night post-race party takes place at City Hall Plaza and is hosted by Des Linden and Kara Goucher. There will be live entertainment and concessions available for purchase. Champions will also be honored there. Athletes received an email on February 15th to purchase a discounted ticket for $5, and the opportunity to purchase additional tickets for friends and family for $15 per person.

To buy tickets for Mile 27, click here. 

How to watch

The 128th Boston Marathon will be televised on ESPN2 from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. on race day. You can also catch highlights on SportsCenter.

Locally, live coverage of the Boston Marathon will air on WCVB beginning at 4:00 a.m. ET through 8:00 p.m. ET. The race will be exclusively simulcast regionally on WCVB Channel 5’s Hearst Television owned sister-stations WMUR (Manchester, NH), WMTW (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY).

The Boston Marathon will also be live streamed on Very Local Boston.