Boston - My 6th star!
/April 20th 2026 - 3h56/
/Elevation 283m - Temperature 8℃
/Access via qualification, tour operator or charity bib. Exclusive lottery for Gold Club members.
/Sponsor: Adidas
/29033 finishers
"I will never be able to access Boston marathon, it´s too exclusive."
Boston marathon doesn't organise any ballot. For the 2026 Boston Marathon, roughly three-quarters of the field entered through a qualifying time. To give you an idea, if you are a 35 years old man, you need to run a marathon in less than 3h. It means as well that if you're not a "BQ" (Boston Qualifier), at least 75% of the crowd is faster than you.
See all the standards here and come back on this page to cry.
You probably don't know me yet but I'm a lucky cookie. A few months earlier, after some time on a waiting list, (and 400$) I finally got accepted at the Gold Club, the vip corner of Abbott Marathons Major. Among many perks and gifts, they hold quite often exclusive ballots for their members. You guess the rest.
So, my 6th star, you surely know what it means. After completing Berlin, New York, London, Chicago and Tokyo, I just needed to finish Boston to receive the famous big medal, the St Graal!
THE EXPO
The 2026 Boston Marathon Expo was held at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, very close to the finish line. It was free and open to the public, although runners had to attend personally to collect their bib.
The expo included a large adidas Boston Marathon store, photo opportunities, sponsor booths and a live stage with panels and elite-athlete appearances. I was super well organised of course, much more centered on the prestige/history of the race and qualifying culture than any other race. I bought limited edition and engraved with my name Shokz!!
For someone doing Boston as a Six Star race, one particularly nice part was the Abbott World Marathon Majors presence—along with all the Boston-specific photo opportunities and merchandise.
⭐ BOSTON TIP
Go to the big sports shop DICKS facing the finish line for more goods and official merchandise without queuing at the expo!
THE COURSE
The Boston Marathon course is one of the most distinctive—and deceptive—of the Majors. It isn't especially mountainous, but it is definitely not an easy course to pace well.
First, you need to take the bus at Boston Common park for about an hour drive to Hopkinton. You can drop your personal belongings bag before, it's fast and super well organised, even to collect it back after the race.
0–10 km — Fast downhill. You immediately descend out of Hopkinton. By mile 4 you've dropped from roughly 145 m to 56 m. It feels fantastic, and it's very easy to run too fast here. But don't be fooled and save your legs!
10–25 km — Rolling but relatively comfortable. Through Framingham, Natick and Wellesley the course settles down. Around mile 12 you encounter the famous Wellesley College Scream Tunnel, one of the iconic parts of Boston. Take your camera out, the crowd is INSANE!
25–34 km — The difficult part. At approximately mile 16, you reach Newton Lower Falls. Then the Newton hills begin. The official course identifies the start of the famous hills at mile 17.1.
And then comes...
💔 Heartbreak Hill
Heartbreak Hill is actually the last of the Newton hills, not necessarily the biggest climb.
Its crest is at approximately mile 20.8 / km 33.5. The hill itself isn't terrifying—roughly 600 m of climbing—but you're encountering it after more than 32 km of running. That's what makes it famous.
34–42 km — DOWNHILL → Boston
Once you're over Heartbreak Hill, the character changes dramatically.
You descend past Boston College, through Brookline and toward the city. The official elevation data show the course falling from about 70 m at mile 21 to only 9 m at mile 24.
Then you see the famous CITGO sign around mile 25.2.
And finally, right on Hereford, left on Boylston.
And you can see the finish line straight ahead. 🦄
I got emotional at that point. First because of the crowd and all the overwhelming cheering signs everywhere around you. Secondly because I looked at my watch and I realised I succeeded in my sub 4h objective.
⭐ BOSTON TIP
After the race, go to Tracksmith shop at 285 Newbury Street for your free poster with your time printed!
THE WEATHER
The weather for Boston Marathon 2026 was exceptionally good for running—arguably one of the reasons 2026 produced such fast performances.
🌡️ At the start in Hopkinton: roughly 6°C / 43°F
🌡️ During the race: mostly around 7–11°C / 45–52°F
💧 Humidity: about 56% at the start.
💨 Wind: roughly 10–11 mph (16–18 km/h) from the west.
🌤️ Conditions: sunny early, becoming cloudier, with only a few very isolated sprinkles.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The atmosphere is what makes Boston special. Compared with the other Majors, Boston feels less like a huge city marathon and more like an entire region celebrating the marathon for a day.
I felt like the celebration started as soon as you arrive in the city. All the sports brands like Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Hoka... have some events, goodies, motivational posters in the street and more.
Boston's special ingredient is that Marathon Monday is part of Patriots' Day and deeply embedded in local culture. You also have the qualifying tradition: a huge proportion of runners have spent years trying to earn the right to be there. That gives the event a different emotional weight from a normal mass-participation marathon.
⭐ BOSTON TIP
Buy tickets (they are super cheap) for the after race party on City Hall plaza. Celebrate and share a beer and some street food with your friends!
WHERE TO STAY
I would stay in Back Bay/Copley Square, without hesitation. The start is 26 miles away in Hopkinton, but runners are transported there; what really matters is being able to walk back to your hotel after finishing on Boylston Street.
If you want the ultimate Boston Marathon location, look at The Lenox Hotel. It's approximately 0.1 mile from the finish line—basically steps from Boylston. Some rooms even have views toward the marathon finish area.
WANT TO SEE MORE?
Check at my Instagram video for a live experience!
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