2025 Boston Marathon: Start time, TV channels, weather and all you need to know

India Today

21-04-2025

The Boston Marathon is one of the world's most iconic races. The race is held annually on Patriots' Day in Massachusetts. This year marks the 129th iteration of the race. With the runners preparing to race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.When does the Boston Marathon start? (All times in EDT)The day kicks off shortly after 9 a.m. with a full slate of races stretching into late morning. Here's the official start schedule for each division:9:06 a.m. – Men's Wheelchair Division9:09 a.m. – Women's Wheelchair Division9:30 a.m. – Handcycles and Duos9:37 a.m. – Elite Men9:47 a.m. – Elite Women9:50 a.m. – Para Athletics Division10:00 a.m. – Wave 1 (General Entry)10:25 a.m. – Wave 210:50 a.m. – Wave 311:15 a.m. – Wave 4advertisement
Expect the first finishers — including wheelchair racers like Marcel Hug, who holds the course record — to cross the Boylston Street finish line around 9:26 a.m. The fastest elite men and women should finish between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.How to watch the 2025 Boston MarathonTV coverageLocal (Boston area): WCVB Channel 5 — Live coverage begins at 4:00 a.m.National: ESPN2, Coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. and continues until 12:30 p.m.Spanish-language: ESPN Deportes — 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Streaming optionsFree live stream: WCVB.com and the WCVB appNational streaming: ESPN+ (starting 4 a.m.), DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, fuboTV (free trials available)Very local app: Available on smart TVs and streaming devicesCoverage is also simulcast on WMUR (New Hampshire), WMTW (Maine), and WPTZ (Vermont/New York).2025 Boston Marathon weather forecastadvertisementIdeal running conditions are expected throughout the day:Start in Hopkinton: High 40s at 9 a.m.Mid-race temps: Rising into the 50sFinish line: Low 50s for elites, possibly hitting 60F by the final waveNo rain expected until late evening, clear skies expected throughout the raceCourse map and route detailsThe 26.2-mile course follows the traditional route:Start: Main Street in HopkintonThrough: Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton (featuring Heartbreak Hill), BrooklineFinish: Boylston Street, near the Boston Public Library in Copley SquareRoad closures and reopening timesPlan travel accordingly — major closures begin early morning:Hopkinton: 7:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Ashland: 7:15 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.Framingham: 7:30 a.m. – 1:55 p.m.Natick: 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.Wellesley: 8:30 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.Newton: 8:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.Brookline: 9:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.Boston: Variable closures until 7:00 p.m.Top athletes and favoritesHellen Obiri (Kenya) eyes a third consecutive title, a feat not achieved since the 1990sSisay Lemma (Ethiopia) returns as defending men's champ after a shocking victory last yearEvans Chebet, Sharon Lokedi, and Conner Mantz also headline the elite fieldPrize money breakdownOpen division winners: $150,000 each (Men & Women)Wheelchair division: $50,000 for winners in T53/54/34, $1,500 for T51–52Masters division winners: $5,000 each2024 winners and course recordsMen's champion: Sisay Lemma (2:06:17)Women's champion: Hellen Obiri (2:22:37)Men's wheelchair: Marcel Hug (1:15:35 — course record)Women's wheelchair: Eden Rainbow-Cooper (1:35:11)Handcycle men's: Zachary Stinson (1:04:46)Handcycle women's: Alicia Dana (1:15:20 — course record)advertisementCourse records:Men's running: Geoffrey Mutai (2:03:02, 2011)Women's running: Buzunesh Deba (2:19:59, 2014)Wheelchair men's: Marcel Hug (1:15:35, 2024)Wheelchair women's: Manuela Schr (1:28:17, 2017)ALSO READ: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Date, time, games, schedule, TV channels, and all you need to knowMust Watch