The 2025 Boston Marathon will officially begin shortly after 9 a.m. EDT on Patriots' Day, April 21. The start schedule for each division is as follows:
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9:06 a.m. – Men’s Wheelchair Division
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9:09 a.m. – Women’s Wheelchair Division
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9:30 a.m. – Handcycles and Duos
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9:37 a.m. – Elite Men
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9:47 a.m. – Elite Women
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9:50 a.m. – Para Athletics Division
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10:00 a.m. – Wave 1 (General Entry)
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10:25 a.m. – Wave 2
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10:50 a.m. – Wave 3
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11:15 a.m. – Wave 4
Expect the first finishers to cross the Boylston Street finish line around 9:26 a.m., with the fastest elite men and women finishing between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m..
How to Watch the 2025 Boston Marathon:
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Local TV (Boston area): WCVB Channel 5 – Live coverage starts at 4:00 a.m.
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National TV: ESPN2 – Coverage from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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Spanish-language: ESPN Deportes – 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Streaming:
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Free live stream: WCVB.com and the WCVB app
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National streaming: ESPN+ (starting 4 a.m.), DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, fuboTV (free trials available)
Weather Forecast:
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Start (9 a.m.): High 40s°F in Hopkinton
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Mid-race: Temps rising into the 50s°F
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Finish: Low 50s°F for elites, possibly hitting 60°F by the final wave
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Clear skies with no rain expected until late evening.
Course Map and Route:
The 26.2-mile course runs from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in Boston, passing through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline.
Road Closures:
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Hopkinton: 7:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
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Ashland: 7:15 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.
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Framingham: 7:30 a.m. – 1:55 p.m.
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Natick: 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
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Wellesley: 8:30 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
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Newton: 8:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
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Brookline: 9:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
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Boston: Variable closures until 7:00 p.m.
Top Athletes and Favorites:
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Hellen Obiri (Kenya) – Aiming for a third consecutive women’s title.
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Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) – Defending men’s champion.
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Evans Chebet, Sharon Lokedi, and Conner Mantz – Elite field headliners.
Prize Money Breakdown:
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Open division winners: $150,000 (Men & Women)
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Wheelchair division: $50,000 for winners in T53/54/34, $1,500 for T51–52
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Masters division: $5,000 each
2024 Course Records:
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Men’s champion: Sisay Lemma (2:06:17)
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Women’s champion: Hellen Obiri (2:22:37)
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Men’s wheelchair: Marcel Hug (1:15:35 – course record)
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Women’s wheelchair: Eden Rainbow-Cooper (1:35:11)
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Handcycle men’s: Zachary Stinson (1:04:46)
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Handcycle women’s: Alicia Dana (1:15:20 – course record)
The 2025 Boston Marathon promises to be another exciting event with elite athletes, favorable weather, and widespread coverage for viewers at home.
