Boston Marathon Guide
— It’s Go Time! —
Your Guide to the Best Boston Marathon Ever
Our unofficial, irreverent, and completely idiosyncratic guide to the city’s biggest day.
Armed with stencils and spray cans, and assisted by his two daughters and friends, Ashland resident Jack LeDuc has painted the Boston Marathon starting line for more than 30 years. He’s also run the race 15 times. / Photograph by Scott. M. Lacey
In 2013, Boston vowed to finish the race. On Marathon Monday, starting in the wee hours, runners, families, Sox fans, and college kids will take to the streets to celebrate the one event that ties Greater Boston together in a single, unbroken line. Hundreds of thousands will come to cheer on friends and strangers. Thousands more will come to celebrate Boston’s strength and diversity. And so, for the uninitiated and the seasoned spectators alike, we present our unofficial, irreverent, and completely idiosyncratic guide to Boston’s biggest day.
Your Guide to a Marathon Day of Dining and Drinking
From pregaming breakfast, to replenishing dinner.
Boston Marathon Mile Guide
No matter where you’re watching, follow these game plans to have the best experience ever.
Pro Tips for Spectators
How to cheer, how to hand off water, Solo cup recipes, and more.
Explore the Marathon Route
Check out dozens of notable sights from Hopkinton to Boyston Street.
Are You Faster Than a (Minor) Celebrity?
Here’s how long it took your favorite B-listers in recent years.
How the Marathon Began
The first race in 1897 was a mere afterthought—15 men signed up, and only 10 managed to go the distance.
Q&A: Roberta 'Bobbi' Gibb
She was the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon in 1966. She still runs an hour or two a day.
Kathrine Switzer Remembers Her Dramatic Run
In 1967, she became the first woman to run the race as a numbered entry.