Bucket List / Fitness Goals / Complete The World Marathon Majors
Boston Marathon
Still to do
The world's oldest annual marathon, where you earn your place before you run from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.
The adventure
Boston is the marathon with the strongest sense of history. First run in 1897, it is the race most amateur runners have to qualify for, which gives the start line in Hopkinton a feeling unlike any other. Everyone around you has worked hard to be there, and the course drops downhill through small New England towns before you have even settled in.
Near halfway, the noise of the Wellesley College scream tunnel carries for what feels like a mile. Then come the Newton hills, ending with Heartbreak Hill around mile 20, before the long run into the city. The final directions every Boston runner knows are right on Hereford, left on Boylston, and that last stretch, with the finish line in sight and the crowds packed several deep, is one of the great moments in running.
Why it’s epic
- Run every year since 1897, it is the world's oldest annual marathon.
- Race day is Patriots' Day, a Massachusetts holiday on the third Monday in April.
- In 1967 Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to run it as an official numbered entrant.
- The point-to-point course drops about 140 metres between Hopkinton and Boston.
What it is
The world’s oldest annual marathon, first run in 1897. The point-to-point course runs from Hopkinton into Boston and finishes on Boylston Street.
How to do it
Most runners need a qualifying time for their age group, and even then the cut-off is usually faster than the published standard. Charity places are the other way in.
Top tip
The early downhill miles wreck your quads before the Newton hills, which end with Heartbreak Hill around mile 20.
Need to know
- You need a qualifying time for your age group, and the accepted cut-off is usually faster than the published standard.
- Charity places are the main alternative and come with large fundraising targets.
- Train for the downhills as well as the Newton hills, as the early descents wreck your quads.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- A week including travel
- Best time to go
- Patriots’ Day, the third Monday in April
- Fly into
- BOS airport
Transatlantic flights and Boston's expensive race-week hotels drive the cost far more than the entry fee.
Make it happen
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
Comments