How Many People Run the Boston Marathon? Plus, Everything You Need To Know About the Race's History
This special race passes through seven other cities as well.
Even if you don't run marathons, you probably know that there is a Boston marathon. It's the world's oldest marathon (there's plenty of Boston Marathon history to share!) and one of the most famous in the U.S. Runners from all over the world come to compete in this race and viewers from all over enjoy watching the competition. It's inspiring to watch athletes perform and it might even be motivating for some to go out and grab their running shoes (even if they don't want to do a total of 26.2 miles).
One of the reasons that the Boston Marathon is so prestigious is because participants must qualify to run. This means that you must have already run a marathon at a certain pace. Because of that, impressive runners from all over the world consider it a worthy race. It also means viewers get to watch some pretty serious athletes.
The route for the marathon goes through eight cities around and including Boston which makes watching the progression more interesting.
And even if you have never watched a marathon, you likely easily remember the tragic bombing that happened in 2013 at the Boston Marathon. It was devastating and unforgettable, and this year will mark ten years since that terrible event.
If you are interested in knowing more about the history of the Boston Marathon and more details on the race, read on for all of the facts.
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When Is the Boston Marathon 2023?
The 127th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 17, 2023, which is also Patriots' Day. The marathon is always held on the third Monday of April.
What Time Does the Boston Marathon Start in 2023?
According to the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), the first wave of runners will begin at 10 a.m., with the next waves beginning at 10:25 a.m., 10:50 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. (EST).
How Far Is the Boston Marathon?
The Boston Marathon is a full marathon—which means it is 26.2 miles long.
How Many People Run in the Boston Marathon?
In 2023, there will be "nearly 30,000 athletes from more than 100 countries," according to the B.A.A. Last year, in 2022, there were 28,580 total entrants and 24,908 total finishers.
Even though you have to qualify for the race, thousands of runners easily qualify—and not all qualified runners are guaranteed entry into the race due to field size limitations.
The only other way that you can run in the Boston Marathon is if you are running for a charity. B.A.A. invites select non-profit organizations to take part in the Marathon. Each of these organizations then recruits volunteers to run for charity.
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History of the Boston Marathon
The first Boston Marathon was in 1897—originally called the "American Marathon." At that time, the distance of the race was 24.5 miles from Metcalf’s Mill in Ashland to the Irvington Oval in Boston.
In 1924, the course was lengthened to 26 miles, which went along with the official Olympic standard.
1966 marked the first year that a woman ran in the Marathon. Roberta Gibb was the first female finisher. However, she did not run an official race and she hid in the bushes near the start until the race began. One year later, in 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entrant (although she had not clearly identified her gender on the race application). In the fall of 1971, women were formally accepted to participate in the race.
From the first marathon all the way up to 1968, the race was run on Patriots' Day, which was always held on April 19. However, if the 19th fell on a Sunday, then the race would be on Monday, or the 20th, instead. The race day and Patriots' Day were changed in 1969 to be the third Monday of April.
Qualifying standards were introduced for the Boston Marathon in 1970, requiring certification to prove that each runner would be able to finish the race in under four hours. Today, qualifying standards range from three hours (for men ages 18-34) to five hours and 20 minutes (for women and non-binary individuals ages 80+)
The Boston Marathon became the first major marathon to include a wheelchair division in 1975.
Because of COVID, the 2021 race was the first in-person Boston Marathon not held in April. Instead, it was run on Monday, October 11, 2021.
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A Remembrance Event
Ten years ago, in 2013, an unforgettable tragedy happened at the marathon. Two domestic terrorists planted bombs near the finish line of the race. They set them to go off at the busiest time when many people were gathered around and already celebrating those who had finished.
Unfortunately, three people lost their lives and hundreds of others were wounded.
What Other Cities Are Included in the Course of the Boston Marathon?
There are a total of eight Massachusetts cities that runners will run through that are around or in Boston. These cities include Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston. According to the B.A.A., the race starts in Hopkinton and ends on Boylston Street in Boston.
How To Watch the Boston Marathon
Besides viewing in person from one of the race cities, there are other ways to watch the Marathon as well.
ESPN will cover the marathon nationally and WCVB or Channel 5 will cover it locally.
Follow B.A.A. on social media. They will post great stories and up-to-the-minute information along with photos and videos.
If you are viewing in person, make sure to go early, as over 500,000 spectators are expected.
Do Racers Win Money?
Yes, there is prize money. The highest reward, for first-place winners in each division, is $150,000 for the open division, $25,000 for the wheelchair division, $5,000 for masters and $1,500 for para divisions.
There are a total of ten place winners in both the open division and the wheelchair division with the dollar amount getting smaller with each place. For the open division, second place is rewarded $75,000 and goes down to tenth place at $5,500. There is also a $50,000 bonus for setting a record.
How To Register for the Next Boston Marathon
Registration has not opened yet for the 128th Boston Marathon, but last year, it opened online via B.A.A.'s "Athlete's Village" on Monday, September 12, 2022, for five days. So, as it gets closer to September, it would be a good idea to keep an eye out for more helpful information for the next registration opportunity.
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