Running News Daily

127th Boston Marathon Raised $40.2 Million For Non-Profit Organizations

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced that $40.2 million was raised for more than 200 non-profit organizations through this year’s 127th Boston Marathon, held on Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 17.

The fundraising total marks the highest amount raised surrounding a single Boston Marathon, breaking the previous mark of $38.7 million set in 2019. Combined, the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and John Hancock Non-Profit Program have raised $500.2 million since the charity program’s inception at the 1989 Boston Marathon.

“Philanthropic and fundraising efforts surrounding this year’s Boston Marathon hit record highs in 2023, a testament to the hard work and dedication of all participants running for greater causes,” said Nicole Juri, B.A.A. Director of Development. “More than 200 charities and non-profit organizations will benefit thanks to the efforts of our fundraising participants.”

The $40.2 million raised this year includes donations raised through the B.A.A.’s Official Charity Program, the John Hancock Non-Profit Program, and from other qualified and invitational runners. 2,537 participants ran as fundraising athletes at the 127th Boston Marathon. Further details can be found on the Boston Marathon’s fundraising page through GivenGain.

“We are proud to cap our 38-year principal sponsorship by setting a new fundraising milestone this year,” said Tom Crohan, VP & Counsel, Global Head of Community Investment at John Hancock and Manulife. “Thank you to every runner, volunteer, donor, and non-profit partner who contributed to these record-setting results. It’s an honor to have helped build a legacy of impact, and we are proud of our collective efforts to help make lives better for those served by our community partners.”

Leading up to Boston Marathon race day, the B.A.A. and John Hancock hosted a variety of fundraising giving initiatives to support athletes running for causes, including Boston Marathon Giving Day on March 15. Through Boston Marathon Giving Day, $1,041,766 in donations was raised over a 24-hour period.

The B.A.A. has annually provided non-profits associated with the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and John Hancock Non-Profit Program with invitational entries into the Boston Marathon. Each non-profit organization directly manages its own application process, athlete selection, and fundraising minimums, deadlines, and requirements.

The B.A.A. will notify non-profit organizations who have been selected to participate in the 128th Boston Marathon as part of the B.A.A. Official Charity Program this Summer. More information can be found on the B.A.A. Official Charity Program.

The next B.A.A. event is the B.A.A. 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sunday, June 25. Registration is currently open.  

Boston Marathon icon Rick Hoyt dies at 61

On Monday, the Hoyt Family announced the death of Boston Marathon icon Rick Hoyt at age 61. Hoyt was a longtime staple of the Boston Marathon, who was pushed to the Boston Marathon finish line in his wheelchair by his father, Dick, for 32 years between 1980 and 2014.

“It is with profound sadness that the Hoyt Family announces the passing of our beloved brother and uncle, Rick, this morning. Rick was 61 years old. Rick passed away due to complications with his respiratory system,” the family said in a statement. “As so many knew, Rick along with our father, Dick, were icons in the road race and triathlon worlds for over 40 years and inspired millions of people with disabilities to believe in themselves, set goals and accomplish extraordinary things.”

Hoyt had cerebral palsy, which left him a quadriplegic. In 1977, he told his father, Dick, that he wanted to take part in a charity run for a lacrosse player who was paralyzed in an accident. Dick pushed his son for the race, and after, he told his father, “When I’m running, I don’t feel handicapped.”

The duo’s participation in marathons, triathlons, and endurance events showcased that physical disabilities should never limit one’s aspirations. Hoyt’s presence on the Boston Marathon course symbolized courage and the belief that anything is possible.

Dick died in March 2021 at age 80. The same year his son retired from marathons.

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) released a statement in memory of Hoyt: 

Rick Hoyt will always be remembered as a Boston Marathon icon and for personifying the “Yes You Can” mentality that defined Team Hoyt. We are fortunate to have been able to call Rick a friend, mentor, pioneer, and Boston Marathon finisher. His legacy will live on through the Rick & Dick Hoyt Award, which is presented each April around the Boston Marathon to someone who exhibits the spirit of Team Hoyt through advocacy and inclusion. 

Our thoughts go out to the Hoyt family, Rick’s many friends, and all who were touched by his positivity.

The B.A.A. has continued to honour Hoyt’s legacy at the Boston Marathon, establishing the Rick & Dick Hoyt Award in 2021. The award annually recognizes individuals who promote inclusivity and advocate for others in the community.

Hellen Obiri: Boston Marathon winner on family sacrifice and quitting the track

As Hellen Obiri crossed the finish line to win this year's Boston Marathon, a few metres ahead was her daughter, Tania.

The double world champion was soon locked in an embrace with both her husband, Tom, and Tania as the family celebrated the surprise win in what was only her second marathon.

Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Obiri found it all hard to describe.

"That was one good moment for me, at the finish line seeing my daughter. I cannot even explain what I felt."

The rush of emotion, which left Obiri in tears, is understandable when placed in the context of her decision to uproot her family and move them from Kenya to the United States after she quit track running to target the marathon.

"When switching to the road, I felt I needed a coach on the ground with me in training," the 33-year-old explained.

"On track you can train without a coach present and do well, but with the marathon sometimes you need a coach to watch what you are doing."

The Obiris' new home is in the city of Boulder, Colorado. But her husband and daughter only arrived a few weeks before the race in Boston. For months before that Obiri had been on her own.

'Why am I here?'

Previously a 5000m specialist who claimed world titles over the distance in 2017 and 2019, the 2018 Commonwealth title and Olympic silver medals in 2016 and 2020, Obiri made her marathon debut in New York last November.

Two months prior she had moved to the US to join her coach, retired American athlete Dathan Ritzenhein.

At the time, it meant leaving Tania and Tom back in Kenya waiting on their visas.

"It was a challenge because you don't have a family in the US. Sometimes the time difference (for) calling is not good. Maybe when you call the child is sleeping," she said.

"The most important thing is the family understands what you are going there to do, because it's a short career. The family give me a lot of time, support and a lot of encouragement."

But the pain of separation sometimes led Obiri to question her decision.

"She (Tania) was always telling me 'Mommy, I want you to come now'. When she tells you, you feel like crying, you feel you don't have morale.

"Why am I here and my baby's crying there?"

Despite her best efforts to remain focussed, New York did not go as planned as poor race tactics saw her finish sixth on her marathon debut.

"I used to run from the front in track races. I thought even in a marathon I can run in front. That cost me a lot because in marathon you can't do all the work for 42 kilometres," she admitted.

"What I learned from New York is patience, just wait for the right time so you can make a move."

Obiri proved to be a fast learner. With her family now watching on, she won her second marathon, taking more than four minutes off her time in New York.

"When you have your family around you, that means you don't have stress.

"You don't need to think about anything else. You are thinking about your family and the race and when your family is there to watch you, they give you a lot of encouragement."

Rocking life in Boulder

With the family now settled in their Colorado home, Tom has enrolled as a student. But Obiri worries about how a seven-year-old Kenyan girl will adjust to life in a different country.

"The first week was terrible for her because she didn't have friends here, it's a new environment," she said, fretting as any mother would.

"(But) Tania is so friendly. So after one week and a half, she was coming and telling mum 'I have some friends, this one and this one...'"

Obiri also had concerns when it came to Tania enrolling in school.

"I was so worried. I wondered, how will the teachers treat her as she's from Africa?

"Maybe some schoolmates will think 'You are from Africa, we don't want to be your friends.'

"I used to ask after school, 'Who wasn't nice to you? Do they treat you well?' and she said 'No, I'm okay with my friends and my teachers'."

Olympic agenda

The 2019 world cross country champion says not all of her friends understood her decision to uproot her family, but Obiri blocks out the "negative talk" to focus on her athletic ambitions and is also now at peace with her family situation.

Her next big mission, away from the six World Marathon Majors - which are Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo - is to try to complete her list of global titles, filling the one very obvious hole in her list of achievements.

"I will work hard to be in the Kenya (marathon) team for Paris 2024."

"I have won gold medals in World Championships so I'm looking for Olympic gold. It is the only medal missing in my career."

Three days after her 75th birthday, Jeannie Rice runs 3:33 at Boston Marathon

Three days after her 75th birthday, Jeannie Rice of Mentor, Ohio, added the women’s 75+ age group world marathon record to her impressive resume, winning her age category at the 2023 Boston Marathon by 20 minutes and crossing the line in 3:33:15.

Rice not only beat the previous record of 3:38:56, held by Norway’s Vera Nystad. She also beat Nystad in the race, who finished second to Rice in 3:53:52. Nystad is three years older than Rice, and originally set the record at age 77, when she ran 3:38 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

This masters record isn’t Rice’s first over the marathon distance. She also holds the women’s 70+ record of 3:27:50 from the 2018 Chicago Marathon. Her time of 3:38 is remarkable, and it shows that age really is just a number. 

Rice averaged a mind-blowing five minutes per kilometre pace for 42.2 kilometres at age 75. That’s eight and a half consecutive 25-minute 5 Ks. 

Rice considers herself a snowbird, as she lives and trains in her hometown of Mentor, Ohio for six months of the year before heading to Naples, Fla., for six months every winter.

This is Rice’s second marathon in the last six weeks. In March, she won the women’s 70+ age category at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon in 3:31:22 to receive her six-star finisher medal–completing all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.

Eliud Kipchoge shed some light on what happened in his Boston Marathon debut

More than a day after he finished sixth in his first Boston Marathon, Eliud Kipchoge sat down to answer a few questions.

Kipchoge, the 38-year-old marathon world record holder, had only lost two of his 17 career marathons prior to Monday. So it was surprising to see him struggle to answer the acceleration of Gabriel Geay during Mile 18 of the race. He then fell to the back of the pack and was subsequently dropped by the race leaders by Mile 21.

Kipchoge acknowledged that he had an issue with his upper left leg that began during Mile 18.

“That’s where the problem is,” Kipchoge told reporters on Wednesday. “I tried to do what was necessary, but it was not working.”

“I’m not a doctor,” he later joked when asked for more specifics.

Having encountered the issue mid-race, he said that he simply “put my mind just to run in a comfortable pace to finish.”

Asked if he considered dropping out once he experienced an issue with his leg, Kipchoge admitted that “a lot of talking was going on in my mind.”

“But I said, ‘Hey, I can’t quit.’ They say it’s important to win, but it’s great to participate and finish.”

Given that he started confidently — leading the pack of elite runners for nearly all of the opening 17 miles — Kipchoge responded to a question about whether he had been tactically too aggressive in the early part of the race.

“This is sport, and you need to push,” he replied.

As for what’s next on his agenda, the Kenyan acknowledged that he will take some time to think things over. His main focus in the short term is to “recover, both mentally and physically.”

Despite the differences between Boston’s course — with its continuous elevation changes — and others that he’s run, which have generally been much more flat, Kipchoge also downplayed its effect on how he ran.

Though his debut in Boston didn’t go to plan, he said he would “absolutely” consider returning to run again. However, this will likely not be in 2024 since Kipchoge will probably aim to run in the Paris Olympics, which will take place too close to Boston’s April schedule for him to be at his fitness peak. He is the two-time defending Olympic gold medalist.

Kipchoge also released a statement following the race on Monday in which he congratulated eventual winner (and fellow Kenyan) Evans Chebet.

“I live for the moments where I get to challenge the limits. It’s never guaranteed, it’s never easy,” Kipchoge said. “Today was a tough day for me. I pushed myself as hard as I could but sometimes, we must accept that today wasn’t the day to push the barrier to a greater height.

“I want to congratulate my competitors and thank everyone in Boston and from home for the incredible support I am so humbled to receive,” he added. “In sports you win and you lose and there is always tomorrow to set a new challenge. Excited for what’s ahead.”

Dave McGillivray Completes 51st Consecutive Boston Marathon

After all other participants had long finished their Boston Marathon journeys, Dave McGillivray crossed the finish line at 7:28 p.m. yesterday evening. McGillivray oversaw the course throughout the race earlier in the day, taking runners across the starting line and helping to ensure their safe arrival on Boylston Street. This is McGillivray’s 51st consecutive completion of the Boston Marathon and the 36th of which he has completed at night after seeing to his race day duties.

“It doesn’t feel so long ago that I was 18 years old, sitting on the curb at mile 21, wondering if I would ever get a chance to finish the Boston Marathon. If I could go back and tell my younger self that he goes on to finish that day and 50 more editions, I can’t imagine his reaction,” said McGillivray. “I’m grateful for the more than a dozen friends and colleagues who joined me on the journey to the finish line today. I had to dream big to get to this moment, and I couldn’t do it without my community and my family that support me every step of the way.”

The weekend featured two other special moments for McGillivray. On Saturday, Team With A Vision inducted McGillivray into their hall of fame during a dinner at the Westin Copley Place. Team With A Vision pairs blind and sighted runners together to complete endurance races across the country. Their efforts support the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which delivers professional, peer, and volunteer support to over 1,200 individuals each year, giving them the support they need to live with dignity and independence. All funds raised support MABVI’s statewide vision rehabilitation services, including 34 low-vision support groups, Assistive Technology and Training Centers, and 400 volunteers matched 1:1 with blind individuals.

In addition, McGillivray was a featured speaker during the Boston Marathon Expo, where World Marathon Challenge champion Becca Pizzi interviewed him about his long history with the race. He shared photos, videos and stories with the crowd, and signed copies of his books for attendees at the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation booth following the presentation.

McGillivray is one of just a handful of runners who have marked half a century or more of completing the world’s most famous marathon. Alongside his rich connection to this race, his running resume includes completing the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons in seven days on seven continents,) nine Ironman Triathlon World Championships, a 1,250-mile run along the U.S. East Coast in 1980 to again benefit the Jimmy Fund, a 24-hour run (120 miles,) a 24-hour bike (385 miles,) and a 24-hour swim (27 miles.) He triathloned around the six New England states by swimming one mile, biking 80 miles and running 20 miles every day for 32 consecutive days. Over the span of his life, he estimates he’s run more than 150,000 miles.

For more information on Dave McGillivray, visit www.davemcgillivray.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

ABOUT DAVE MCGILLIVRAY

Running legend Dave McGillivray has increased the self-esteem of millions of people through his work as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, motivational speaker, author, and athlete. Dave is best known for his athletic feats including his 80-day trek across the United States, running the 3,452 miles from Medford, Ore., to Medford, Mass. in the summer of 1978 to benefit the Jimmy Fund. In addition, he’s received great acclaim for directing or consulting on more than 1,400 events throughout the world including the Boston Marathon, the Olympic Marathon trials, and the Olympic Games. For more information on Dave McGillivray, visit www.davemcgillivray.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Sara Hall set a new American master record in Boston

Sara Hall just set a new American Record in the Marathon for the Masters division.

Hall now 40 years old finished the Boston Marathon in 17th place in 2:25:48.She of course won her division.Old American record was 2:27:47 by Deena Kastor in 2015.

Eliud Kipchoge is human afterall

Eliud Kipchoge came to Boston seeking to add the world’s most storied annual marathon to his unrivaled trophy case. He will leave with a sixth-place result and questions about whether he can achieve two outstanding, unprecedented goals.

“I live for the moments where I get to challenge the limits,” was posted on Kipchoge’s social media four hours after he finished. “It’s never guaranteed, it’s never easy. Today was a tough day for me. I pushed myself as hard as I could but sometimes, we must accept that today wasn’t the day to push the barrier to a greater height.”

Kipchoge was dropped in the 19th mile in his Boston Marathon debut in the middle of the race’s famed hills. He finished 3 minutes, 29 seconds behind fellow Kenyan Evans Chebet, who clocked 2:05:54 and became the first male runner to repeat as Boston champion since 2008.

“I did not observe Kipchoge,” Chebet said of what happened, according to the Boston Athletic Association. “Eliud was not so much of a threat because the bottom line was that we trained well.”

It marked just Kipchoge’s third defeat in 18 career marathons, a decade-long career at 26.2 miles that’s included two world record-breaking runs and two Olympic gold medals.

Kipchoge, 38, hopes next year to become the first person to win three Olympic marathons, but major doubt was thrown on that Monday, along with his goal to win all six annual World Marathon Majors. Kipchoge has won four of the six, just missing Boston and New York City, a November marathon that he has never raced.He skipped his traditional spring marathon plan of racing London to go for the win in Boston, the world’s oldest annual marathon dating to 1897.

Kipchoge has yet to speak to media, but may be asked whether a failed water bottle grab just before he lost contact with a leading pack of five contributed to his first defeat since he placed eighth at the 2020 London Marathon. Boston’s weather on Monday, rainy, was similar to London in 2020.

Kipchoge’s only other 26.2-mile loss was when he was runner-up at his second career marathon in Berlin in 2013.

He is expected to race two more marathons before the Paris Games. Kipchoge will be nearly 40 come Paris, more than one year older than the oldest Olympic champion in any running event, according to Olympedia.org. Kenya has yet to name its three-man Olympic marathon team.

“In sports you win and you lose and there is always tomorrow to set a new challenge,” was posted on Kipchoge’s social media. “Excited for what’s ahead.”

Kenyan Hellen Obiri won Monday’s women’s race in 2:21:38, pulling away from Ethiopian Amane Beriso in the last mile.

Obiri, a two-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist in the 5000m on the track, made her marathon debut in New York City last November with a sixth-place finish. She was a late add to the Boston field three weeks ago after initially eschewing a spring marathon.

“I didn’t want to come here, because my heart was somewhere else,” said Obiri, who is coached in Colorado by three-time U.S. Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein. “But, my coach said I should try and go to Boston.”

Emma Bates was the top American in fifth in the second-fastest Boston time for an American woman ever, consolidating her status as a favorite to make the three-woman Olympic team at next February’s trials in Orlando. Emily Sisson and Keira D’Amato, who traded the American marathon record last year, didn’t enter Boston.

“I expected myself to be in the top five,” said the 30-year-old Bates, who feels she can challenge Sisson’s American record of 2:18:29, if and when she next races on a flat course.

The next major marathon is London on Sunday, headlined by women’s world record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya, Tokyo Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya and Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands in her 26.2-mile debut.

Evans Chebet successfully defended his title at the Boston Marathon and fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri triumphed in the women’s race at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Monday

The big sub-plot of the race, however, was the performance of Eliud Kipchoge, who headed to Boston in the hopes of taking one step closer to completing his set of World Marathon Majors victories but trailed home in sixth place in 2:09:23, the slowest time of his glittering career and more than three minutes behind the winner.

But the day belonged to Chebet and Obiri, both of whom dropped their final opponents in the last few minutes of the race, winning in 2:05:54 and 2:21:38 respectively. Chebet’s mark is the third-fastest winning time ever recorded in the men’s race in Boston and Obiri’s performance is the fourth-fastest women’s winning mark.

Kipchoge looked comfortable in the early stages and was part of a lead pack of 11 men that passed through 10km in 28:52 before reaching the half-way point in 1:02:19.

Chebet and Kipchoge were still together in the lead group through 30km, reached in 1:29:23, but the double Olympic champion and world record-holder started to lose contact with the leaders just a minute or two later, having missed picking up his bottle at a water station.

At 35km, with 1:44:19 on the clock, the lead pack was down to five men – Chebet, 2021 Boston winner Benson Kipruto, Tanzanian record-holder Gabriel Geay, Kenya’s John Korir and Ethiopia’s Andualem Belay. Kipchoge, meanwhile, was more than a minute behind the leaders and no longer in contention for a podium spot.

Evans Chebet wins the 2023 Boston Marathon (© Getty Images)

With three miles to go, and Korir and Belay no longer in the running, the race was down to three men: Geay, Chebet and Kipruto. They ran together as a trio for the best part of two miles before Geay’s challenge eventually faded, leaving the Kenyan duo out in front. Chebet then gradually pulled ahead of his compatriot and training partner Kipruto, going on to cross the finish line in 2:05:54.

Geay recovered enough to pass Kipruto in the closing stages, claiming the runner-up spot in 2:06:04, two seconds ahead of Kipruto. 2021 New York winner Albert Korir finished strongly to take fourth place in 2:08:01 and Morocco’s Zouhair Talbi was fifth (2:08:35). Kipchoge followed a further 48 seconds in arrears.

“I train with Benson; he’s my friend and like a brother to me,” said Chebet, who became the sixth man to win back-to-back Boston titles. “With one kilometre to go, I said to him, ‘let’s go’.”Obiri wins in final mile thriller

Five months after making her marathon debut with a sixth-place finish in New York, two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri triumphed in her second race over the classic distance.

In an incredibly close race that wasn’t decided until the final few minutes, Obiri disposed of one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled for the Boston Marathon.

In contrast to the men’s race, the women’s contest started off at a cautiously steady pace and gradually picked up as the race went on. A large lead pack of more than 20 runners passed through 10km in 34:46, but they had been whittled down to 11 contenders by the half-way mark, reached in 1:11:29.

By this point, the lead pack still included Obiri, world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase, Ethiopian record-holder Amane Beriso, Amsterdam course record-holder Angela Tanui, 2020 Tokyo champion Lonah Salpeter, Eritrean record-holder Nazret Weldu and 2021 London champion Joyciline Jepkosgei.

Gebreslase and Weldu had fallen out of the pack with five miles to go, and the lead pack was reduced further to just six women at 23 miles: Obiri, Salpeter, Beriso, Jepkosgei, Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh and USA’s Emma Bates.

Jepkosgei and Bates started to fade in the last few miles, while Yeshaneh tripped and fell, only to rejoin the lead pack soon after. Salpeter was the next to fade, leaving just Obiri, Beriso and Yeshaneh to battle it out for the victory.

Hellen Obiri wins the 2023 Boston Marathon (© Getty Images)

With 2:17 on the clock, Obiri and Beriso had broken free from Yeshaneh. About 90 seconds later, Obiri embarked on a long drive for the finish line. With occasional glances over her shoulder, the Olympic silver medallist maintained a healthy gap ahead of Beriso and went on to finish in 2:21:38.

Beriso took second place in 2:21:50 and Salpeter overtook Yeshaneh in the closing stages to claim third place in 2:21:57, three seconds ahead of the Ethiopian. Bates was fifth in 2:22:10, making her the top US finisher in either of the races.

“I’m so happy,” said Obiri. “I was undecided about which marathon to do this year, but eventually I decided to do Boston. My coach (Dathen Ritzenhein) told me, ‘you have trained well, you’re ready to do Boston’. I’m very, very happy I chose to do it.”

Leading results

Women1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:21:382 Amane Beriso (ETH) 2:21:503 Lonah Salpeter (ISR) 2:21:574 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:22:005 Emma Bates (USA) 2:22:106 Nazret Weldu (ERI) 2:23:257 Angela Tanui (KEN) 2:24:128 Hiwot Gebremaryam (ETH) 2:24:30

Men1 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:05:542 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:06:043 Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:06:064 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:015 Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:08:356 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:09:237 Scott Fauble (USA) 2:09:448 Hassan Chahdi (FRA) 2:09:46

Boston Marathon preview: will Kipchoge break the course record?

The 127th Boston Marathon is bound to be historic, for two main reasons: it’s the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 Boston bombing. And the men’s marathon will host the world’s fastest marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge, for the first time. Kipchoge is obviously the favourite to win, as he furthers his quest for all six Abbott World Marathon Majors. But nothing comes easy, and here’s why Boston might be Kipchoge’s toughest test yet.

The course and weather

The Boston Marathon course looks like it should be fast, but it isn’t. You start out in the distant suburb of Hopkinton, 150 m above sea level, and cruise downhill for the first eight miles before heading back uphill to finish at sea level in downtown Boston. The course runs almost entirely from west to east, meaning the wind will either be with or against you, which adds variability to the results. 

Earlier this month, Kipchoge told Nation that he’s ready for any challenges the Boston course throws at him. “The weather can be unpredictable, but I am trying to be an all-weather man,” said the reigning back-to-back Olympic marathon champion. Kipchoge also said he and his training partners designed a hilly long-run route in Kaptagat, Kenya to emulate the Boston hills, involving 40+ kilometres of rolling hills at 2,500 metres above sea level.

Kenya‘s Geoffrey Mutai holds the course record of 2:03:02 from the 2011 Boston Marathon, when there was a 20 km/h tailwind. Unlike at other marathon majors, pacers are not allowed at Boston, meaning Kipchoge will have to set a 2:02 pace from the get-go if he wants the course record.

Kipchoge’s competition

The 2023 Boston Marathon features of five of the last six marathon majors winners (the only one missing is Amos Kipruto, who will attempt to defend his London Marathon crown on April 23).

Usually, the former Boston champion is the favourite heading into race week, but that isn’t the case when you have the world record holder making his first appearance.

Last year, reigning Boston champion Evans Chebet had a season to remember, becoming the first marathoner to win Boston and NYC in the same year since Mutai did it in 2011. Chebet is fast, and he’s a bit of a tactician, which can work in his favour if Kipchoge mistimes his move. Chebet’s best performance is from the 2020 Valencia Marathon, where he took the win in 2:03:00 (the eighth fastest time in history).

Chebet’s training partner and Kenyan compatriot, Benson Kipruto, is one of the best tactical marathoners in the world. He’s a two-time major marathon champion (Chicago 2022 and Boston 2021) and in both wins he has showcased his ridiculous speed, dropping a 13-high 5K split between kilometres 35 and 40. Kipchoge will need to find a strategy to manage the two-headed dragon of Kipruto and Chebet, who are both familiar with the course and know what it takes to win.

Kipchoge, Kipruto and Chebet will be the main contenders to watch, but there are a few other candidates who could either pull off an upset or get dropped by Kipchoge around kilometre 35, starting with Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay. Geay has always been the bridesmaid but never the bride–he was second in Valencia last December, fourth at Boston in 2022 and seventh at the 2022 World Championships. The 2:03-flat runner ranks inside the top 10 for all-time in the marathon but has yet to win a major–will he get his first win in Boston?

Shura Kitata of Ethiopia was the last man to beat Kipchoge in a marathon major, which happened on a wet day at the 2020 London Marathon. Kitata’s results have been up and down since his 2020 win, but he bounced back last fall, placing second at the 2022 NYC Marathon. Like Kipruto, Kitata is much more of a tactical racer than a speedy one. His personal best of 2:04:49 was set as a 21-year-old at the 2018 London Marathon.  

A dark horse who might be a familiar name to many Canadians is the 2022 Ottawa Marathon champion, Adualem Shiferaw of Ethiopia. Shiferaw won Ottawa in a course record 2:06:04 on a warm and windy day in the nation’s capital last year, and has only lost one marathon since 2018 (he was 2nd at the 2022 Riyadh Marathon). This is Shiferaw’s first marathon major, and he has little to lose. If you are looking for a sleeper pick, Shiferaw could certainly catch a few people by surprise. 

Prediction

Kipchoge will win this race, but he won’t do it in course record time. The conditions won’t be perfect, and there’s too much uncertainty and variability around the Boston course for him to go out at a 2:01 or 2:02 pace. If I had to guess, Kipchoge will execute a similar race strategy as he did in the Tokyo Olympic marathon, where he sat with the lead group for 25 km and then took matters into his own hands, winning by a minute and a half.

Although he may not have the Boston experience, he is the fastest athlete in the field. What matters to Kipchoge first and foremost is getting the victory, and he’ll execute whatever race strategy it takes to get the job done. Look for him to sit on former champions Chebet and Kipruto early on, and make his move around the 25- to 27-kilometre mark before the Newton Hills, then ride the roar of the crowd home to Boylston Street.

Canadian Running pick: Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – 2:05-mid 

Stay tuned for our women’s marathon preview.

How to watch

The 2023 Boston Marathon will be broadcasted on TSN 5 beginning at 8:30 a.m. E.T. on Monday, April 17. The men’s open race will begin at 9:37 a.m. E.T. and will likely conclude around noon E.T. 

Canadian Running will be your home for the 127th Boston Marathon, featuring live-tweeting for April 15th’s B.A.A 5K and the Boston Marathon. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for news and updates. 

Hundreds of dogs to run at Boston Marathon to honour late pups

On April 16, hundreds of furry friends will take to the 127th Boston Marathon course to honour Spencer and Penny, the official Boston Marathon dogs who died of cancer in February. 

More than 100 golden retrievers and their owners are expected to attend and walk to the finish line in a special one-mile event organized by a regional group called MA Golden Meetups. The doggo parade will be the day before the world’s most prestigious marathon on Patriots Day, April 17.

In 2018, Spencer went viral after he was seen in a video holding “Boston Strong” flags in his mouth, cheering on the marathoners racing past him in the rain. Since 2014, Spencer has watched the marathon near Ashland State Park (around the five-mile mark on the Boston course), and Penny, who was three years younger, was often seen by his side.

This year’s race will be the first marathon Spencer and Penny will not attend since 2013. The two golden retrievers will also be commemorated on a billboard in Ashland, Mass., with the slogan “Forever Boston Strong.”

Boston Strong was a slogan created to empower the community after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. This year marks 10 years since the catastrophic event.

“We miss you and are proud to call you a friend and forever the ‘Official Dog’ of the Boston Marathon,” the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) said in a tweet. 

The dog walk will start at 10 a.m. outside the Boston Common and end at the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston St. “In memory of Spencer and Penny, the Boston Marathon Goldens, and so many of our beloved furry members who have battled canine cancer,” the website states.

Evans Chebet will be facing the fastest man in the world to defend his Boston Marathon title

Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet relishing clash with the real ‘G.O.A.T’ .

Evans Chebet will be facing the fastest man in the world over the distance when he steps on the road on Monday to defend his Boston Marathon title.

Chebet cannot wait to clash with marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge whom he will be racing against for the first time in his career.

The Kapsabet-based Chebet says he is highly motived to compete against Kipchoge considered the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) in marathon racing.

“I have never competed against the fastest man over the distance. We are finally meeting in Boston and I believe the race will be faster and that will help me improve on my personal best. My target is to be on the podium. Expect an exciting race on Monday,” said Chebet who trains under 2Running Athletics Club in Kapsabet, Nandi County.

Chebet, will also be competing against his compatriot and training mate Benson Kipruto.

The reigning Boston Marathon champion said that his preparations for the race have gone on well, he is injury free and wants to show what he has got on the road on Monday.

“I love the Boston Marathon course and given that we shall be competing with other Kenyans, it will be a tough affair but a race normally starts after 35km and that is where you can know if you will finish as a winner,” said Chebet.

In last year’s race, Chebet pulled away from a loaded field in the last few kilometres to surge to victory in 2:06:51. Compatriot Lawrence Cherono finished second in 2:07:21 while Benson Kipruto was third in 2:07:27.

Kipruto, Chebet's training partner, won the 2021 Boston Marathon champion. 

He will be coming up against Kipchoge for the second time on Monday after the 2021 London Marathon where he emerged seventh while Kipchoge settled for eighth position.

“In 2021, I competed against Kipchoge though we both finished outside the podium. I believe that we'll have a good race this year. I will be eyeing a podium position despite the stiff competition. It's a rich field but I will do my best and apply what I have been working on in training,” said Kipruto, the 2022 Chicago Marathon champion.

Other Kenyan athletes who will be competing in the race include John Korir who was third in last year’s Chicago Marathon, Nobert Kigen, Mark Korir, who was second in 2022 Berlin Marathon, Michael Githae, and the 2021 New York Marathon champion Albert Korir. 

Running 900 km to the Boston Marathon2

On Tuesday night in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood, it was business as usual for community builder Quinton Jacobs. Jacobs and his team of 13 runners departed on their four-day, 904.5-kilometer journey from Toronto to the historic Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston St.

The team left Toronto on April 11, at 8 p.m. and plan to arrive in Boston on Saturday–two days before the start of the 127th Boston Marathon.

Jacobs’s Escape project started out as a ridiculous idea with his friend Anoke Dunston on a 2019 trip to New York. “We saw the first Escape to NYC as a challenge,” he says. But Jacobs ended up tearing his Achilles playing basketball before the journey started, so he did not get to run in New York City. 

After Escape to NYC, Jacobs and Dunston knew that the project had the potential to turn into something extraordinary. In 2021, the two men ran to Chicago for the Chicago Marathon with a team of 12 runners from different backgrounds. “We decided that Chicago was our canvas, and we wanted to create something entirely new,” says Jacobs.

Their past two destination ultras to New York and Chicago have been done in the fall, and Boston is their final major, facing their hardest Escape route to date, encountering the Appalachian Mountains of upstate New York and western Massachusetts.

“Escape is about celebrating the diversity of our running community,” says Dunston. “Our goal is to bring people together, no matter their background.”

The team aspect is special for Jacobs, who met his teammates through volunteering in the running community. “We have a team of people from Toronto, Montreal, New Orleans and Chicago,” says Jacobs. “People are all tapped into our ground for all different reasons–it’s special.”

Jacobs is a familiar face to many in the Toronto running scene, as he has been giving back to the city as a volunteer for seven years. He was named community builder of the year by Canadian Running in 2021.

This year Jacobs, Dunston and Hamilton’s Andre Morgan launched their own not-for-profit charity, Ubuntu, which gives back to underprivileged communities in Toronto. Ubuntu is a Zulu word meaning that we are all connected and that one’s sense of self is shaped by relationships with others. “I love to bring people together, where they can enjoy each other’s company.”

Toronto filmmaker and videographer Jason Dam of Tenfold Productions will accompany Jacobs, Dunston and the 11 other runners, capturing all the emotions and moments from their Boston journey into a documentary. 

“Running isn’t the hard part,” says Dunston. “The hardest part is battling your body on sleep deprivation and trying to be the best version of yourself for the team.”

“There’s a beauty and a struggle to all our Escape challenges,” Dunston says. “But I think the triumph to battle through means everything.”

You can follow their journey from Toronto to Boston via their Instagram page, @escape_to___. The Escape to Boston team is projected to arrive in Boston on the morning of April 15, and is hosting a panel discussion at the Boston Marathon expo on Saturday at 4 p.m. on how ultra running is changing.

Indefatigable Edna Kiplagat to tackle Boston course again, at 43

It is commonly said that age is nothing but a number.

At 43 years old, two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat will be out to prove that when she lines up among the elite athletes for the 127th Boston Marathon race on April 17 in the USA.

She will be heading to Boston for the sixth time where she is optimistic of good results after training for the last four months.

Nation Sport caught up with her at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County while she was doing her speed session in readiness for the race.

Maiden win

Kiplagat won the title at her first attempt in Boston in 2017. She returned the following year but finished ninth, in 2019 she was second. The 2020 edition was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She went back in 2021, finishing second behind Diana Kipyokei, but was later declared the winner after Kipyokei was banned for using a banned substance.

Kiplagat was fourth last year.

Kiplagat who lives and trains in Colorado, USA said she shifted her training to Kenya which has favourable weather conditions.

“I started training in December last year when I learned that I will be racing in Boston. But in January and February, it was so cold in the US, I decided to come to Kenya because the weather is favourable,” said Kiplagat.

She will be competing against Kericho-based Sheila Chepkirui, former New York Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, 2021 Amsterdam Marathon Angela Tanui and Fancy Chemutai.

Also in the elite field are Maurine Chepkemoi, Mary Ngugi, Viola Cheptoo, Vibian Chepkirui and Hellen Obiri.

Former Red Sox Pitcher Ryan Dempster will Make His Marathon Debut in Boston

This year’s Boston Marathon is set to have plenty of Boston sports royalty on hand—from Big Papi serving as the race’s grand marshal to Bruins legend Zdeno Chara lacing up himself. Now, former Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster, who pitched for the Sox on the day of 2013’s tragic Boston Marathon bombing, is set to make it his first marathon. While he only pitched for one season in Boston, his last as a pro, it was a memorable one for Bostonians as he helped lead them to a World Series title.

The two-time MLB All-Star, now 45, says he has always wanted to run a marathon. He was a distance runner in high school and frequently ran during his playing days to increase his endurance, but until now, he hadn't found the right time to debut at 26.2.

Realizing the date's significance and his connection to it, he knew the 2023 Boston Marathon was the perfect opportunity to finally make his marathon dream a reality. This year marks the bombing’s 10th anniversary, and the Boston Marathon has symbolized the city's perseverance and unity.

“It seemed fitting to do it 10 years after I played for the Red Sox,” Dempster told the Boston Globe. “It was perfect.”

On April 15, 2013, Dempster limited the Tampa Bay Rays to one run across seven innings. Just 41 minutes later, two bombs detonated near the race’s finish line. Three people lost their lives, and dozens more were injured.

The Red Sox's surprising success during the season made Fenway Park a symbol of hope for the wounded city, honoring victims and first responders before games. This tradition continued through the Red Sox's World Series victory that October.

Dempster, like Chara, is running to support a charity. He’ll be raising funds for the Lingzi Foundation, which honors the memory of Lingzi Lu, one of the first victims of the bombing. “I wanted to run for charity, and somebody suggested the Lingzi Foundation,” Dempster told the Globe. “I did some research, and it was a great fit.”

Dempster says that the way baseball allowed him to have a small part in the city's recovery changed his perspective on the sport.

“I only played one season in Boston, but it feels like 10 with everything that happened that season,” Dempster said. “I’ll never forget that day.”

Kenyan Celestine Chepchirchir eyes Boston Marathon title

The 127th edition of Boston Marathon which will be run on Monday has attracted 18 Kenyan athletes, among them big names who will contest for honors in the world’s oldest marathon race.

Winners in both categories will go home US$150,000 (Sh19,662,647.40) richer, and the top 10 finishers will also be awarded in the open division.

There will be a new champion in the women’s category since last year’s winner Peres Jepchirchir will not compete. Jepchirchir has opted to compete in the London Marathon.

Cellestine Chepchirchir is among the Kenyan women in contention for the title. For the last three months, she has been preparing for the race in Kapsabet, Nandi County.

She will come up against Kericho-based Sheila Chepkirui, former New York Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, the 2017 London Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, 2021 Amsterdam Marathon Angela Tanui and Fancy Chemutai.

Other Kenyans in the women’s filed include Maurine Chepkemoi, Mary Ngugi, Viola Cheptoo, Vibian Chepkirui and Hellen Obiri.

The men’s category will have world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, defending champion Evans Chebet, the 2021 Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto, John Korir, Mark Korir, 2021 New York Marathon champion Albert Korir, Nobert Kigen, and Michael Githae.

In an interview with Nation Sport last week, Chepchirchir who has been training in Kapsabet, Nandi County, and has so far competed in 12 marathon races worldwide said she was delighted to be making her maiden appearance in a World Marathon Majors event this year.

Chepchirchir said that being named among elite athletes for Boston Marathon comes with a big responsibility because there will be a lot of expectations on her.

 “I’m privileged to compete with some of the star athletes I have been watching on TV in major races. When I was named among the competitors, I immediately knew I was going to have to work extra hard, and to run a good race. It’s my first major marathon race and my training has gone well. I believe I will run a good race,” said Chepchirchir.

The soft-spoken athlete, who is coached by her husband Nahaman Serem, has competed in 12 marathon races. She finished fourth last year in Seoul Marathon, which gave her a reason to continue running.

Last year, she had been named among the elite athletes for Chicago Marathon but she delayed in processing her travel documents and missed the race.

“I would have competed in my first major marathon last year at the Chicago Marathon but my travel visa delayed. I was also prepared for the race. Unfortunately it didn’t happen but I thank God because I have another race to run this year. My aim will just to run a good race,” added Chepchirchir, who has a personal best time of 2 hours, 20 minutes and 10 seconds.

Other competitors in the women’s category include world champion Gotytom Gebreslase from Ethiopia, 2016 Boston Marathon champion Atsede Baysa, 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion Lonah Salpeter from Israel, 2018 Boston Marathon champion Desiree Linden from USA, among others.

Now nonbinary runners can compete at Boston Marathon

For nonbinary runners, this year’s Boston Marathon isn’t just a running event. It’s a major milestone in the race for inclusion.

The 2023 race will include a nonbinary division for the first time in the marathon’s storied 127-year history. While other major marathons, including New York City and Chicago, also have nonbinary divisions, Boston remains one of the most prestigious events on the marathon calendar.

It’s considered a bucket-list marathon because the race requires most runners, including those in the new nonbinary division, to earn their way onto the course by meeting strict qualifying time standards.

“Hopefully this has ripples across the country and across the world — in the running world to begin and then hopefully beyond the running world,” said Cal Calamia, a 26-year-old inclusivity activist from San Francisco who will be one of 27 runners competing in the nonbinary division at Boston on April 17.

The London Marathon will also debut a nonbinary division at its race this year on April 23.

Setting nonbinary qualifying times

Calamia, who identifies as nonbinary transmasculine, had qualified to run the 2021 Boston Marathon in the women’s division but then tore their ACL playing soccer. The first thought that went through Calamia’s head was anguish at not being able to run Boston. But the delay offered a silver lining.

“I like to look back on it and just think I’m actually really grateful that things happened the way they did,” Calamia said. “Because I was gonna go in there as a nonbinary person in the female category, and it didn’t feel right.”

Now, Calamia says they don’t have to choose between running Boston and their gender identity. “I don’t have to deal with essentially choosing between two things that aren’t really true and trying to pretend that one of them fits when it doesn’t,” they said.

Calamia has run the Chicago Marathon, California International Marathon and San Francisco Marathon. Their personal best is 2:58:50 from last year’s Chicago Marathon. But to Calamia, Boston is special.

“When I started thinking about running marathons, I was thinking about Boston,” they said.

A big reason for the race’s mythical status is its strict qualifying standards. Qualifying times are now broken down by age groups, and qualifying for Boston — or “BQ” in running vernacular — has become a badge of honor for amateur runners around the world.

One of the challenges of adding a nonbinary division was figuring out the qualifying standards. Race organizers decided that the nonbinary time standards for this year would match those for the women’s division, said Jack Fleming, the chief executive and president of the Boston Athletic Association, which hosts the Boston Marathon.

This year, runners in the women’s and nonbinary divisions ages 18 to 34 needed to run a marathon at 3:30 or faster to qualify. The men in that age range were required to run three hours or faster.

“We landed on having the nonbinary qualifications match the female qualifications, because it was the most inclusive,” said Susie Cleary, the BAA director of athlete services.

The BAA said on its website that the organization does not yet have enough data to establish nonbinary qualifying times and that this first year will be used as an “opportunity to learn and grow together.”

Jake Fedorowski, a 27-year-old from Seattle who wrote a guide for nonbinary inclusion in running, called the decision a “good move.” “You’re doing this to start to collect data so that over time you can start to really tailor what those times need to be,” they said.

Awards but no prize money

Along with Calamia, Fedorowski will run in the nonbinary division. Both will be among the 30,000 runners competing at Boston this year. Of the 27 runners in the nonbinary division, 25 qualified through time standards, Cleary said. Two nonbinary runners applied through the marathon’s charity program, which waives time restrictions in exchange for raising at least $5,000 for a designated charity.

But unlike participants in other divisions, nonbinary runners will not receive prize money. The top three runners in the nonbinary division will be awarded trophies, similar to runners who place top three in their age groups. The winner in the nonbinary division at the NYC Marathon last year took home $5,000, while the Chicago Marathon did not give prize money for the nonbinary division.

The BAA didn’t explain why the nonbinary division won’t include prize money this year. “We will continue to listen to our participants, review our events and continue to strive for the best experience possible for all our athletes,” Fleming, the BAA chief executive, said in a statement.

The first-place finishers in the open division will receive $150,000, winners of the wheelchair division get $25,000, masters division winners get $5,000 and winners of the para divisions, for athletes with disabilities, get $1,500, according to the marathon website.

The Boston Marathon has never been easy, that’s why Des Linden keeps coming back

The conditions were wretched when Des Linden first toed the starting line in Hopkinton in 2007. An amped-up nor’easter brought rain, a 30-mile-per-hour headwind, and soggy, chilly misery for the runners.

“I was one probably of the few people who felt, that was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Linden recalled years later. “I’m going to do this forever. I loved it.”

On Patriots Day Linden will lace up for her 10th Boston Marathon. During the 16 years since her first appearance here, which also was her 26-mile debut, Linden has won the laurel wreath (”storybook stuff”), lost by two seconds on a sprint down Boylston Street, finished fourth twice, and 17th in a “total suffer-fest.”

Every trip here is a homecoming, said the California native and Michigan resident who has a dog named Boston. What brings Linden back is the race’s incomparable history, the feeling of family that she gets from the Boston Athletic Association, the exuberant crowds along the course, “the greatest finish line in our sport,” and the unchanging challenge from the lumpy layout and mercurial weather.

“We’re in this era where we want the marathon to be easier than ever before,” said Linden. “We want it faster, we want it flatter, we want wind blockers, we want shoes that bounce you forward, we want better gels. You name it, we’re trying to dumb this thing down. Boston is already not going to manage well with a lot of those things, then you throw in the weather conditions. I’ll take the tough one every time.”

Boston never has been easy. For decades there were no mile markers or water on the course. There was no prize money until 1986 — the reward was a medal and a bowl of canned beef stew. The starter fired the gun and sent you off. If you ended up sitting on the curb, cramped and blistered, the “meat wagon” picked you up.

Linden loves the purity of a race that always has the same course but rarely the same conditions. “A lot of people get surprised by it,” she said. “Well, it’s Boston in the spring.”

Boston is the recurring theme of “Choosing To Run,” Linden’s new memoir written with Bonnie D. Ford. Chapters recounting her 2018 triumph, the first by an American woman here in 33 years, are interspersed with a narrative of her evolution from a track racer to a marathoner.

Linden, who’ll officially become a master when she turns 40 in late July, is in the final stretch of her elite career, which she hopes will include a third Olympic team next year in Paris. Maybe she’ll run a fall marathon to prep for the Orlando trials in February. “Or maybe I just spin the legs and do some fast stuff,” she mused.

At this stage of her career it’s all about being smart and patient. “It’s a challenge letting go of your prime years, but there’s also a reality to it,” Linden said. “It’s recalibrating and readjusting what the goal is. I’m learning.”

One significant concession is her weekly mileage, which Linden has reduced from 120 to between 95 and 105. “I have this mentality that I’m being lazy if I’m not doing 115-120-mile weeks,” she said. “ ‘You’re not being lazy,’ my coach [Walt Drenth] said. ‘It’s just not practical.’ ”

At her age, maintaining speed and power are more important than training volume. “So work on what’s going away,” Linden said, “and rely on what you’ve done in the past as far as the volume goes.”

The lighter workload paid dividends at the recent New York City Half Marathon, where she placed fifth in 1 hour, 12 minutes, 21 seconds, the top American finisher. “It was the first time in a while that I got good momentum from a race,” she said.

Up against a stacked Boston field that includes Gotytom Gebreslase and Lonah Salpeter, the world gold and bronze medalists; two-time Boston victor Edna Kiplagat; returning medalists Ababel Yeshaneh and Mary Ngugi; two-time Olympic track medalist Hellen Obiri; and Amane Beriso, a sub-2:15er, Linden is realistic about her chances.

“Top 10 is a great goal at times and particularly this year — the field’s incredible,” said Linden, who was 13th last year. “Just mixing it up and racing is fun for me.”

At this point in her career Linden has little left to chase. She was seventh in the 2016 Olympics, cracked the top 10 at the 2009 world championships, and has posted top-five efforts in New York, Chicago, and Berlin.

But her crowning achievement came in Boston five years ago when she slogged her way through punishing wind and chilly rain to win a race that she didn’t plan on finishing. “It’s not gonna be my day,” Linden told Shalane Flanagan after 6 miles. “I think I’m going to drop out soon.”

But she pushed on, thinking more about survival than victory. “I was running in fear for most of the race,” Linden said. “Even halfway through Boylston I was thinking, if someone comes up on my shoulder I know I can respond.”

She won by more than four minutes, to her astonishment. Linden’s jacket and headband were added to the BAA memorabilia collection, whose artifacts date from the 19th century. “The same museum I had once viewed as an unattainable sanctum,” she wrote in “Choosing To Run.”

Gloria Ratti, the BAA’s longtime first lady, had given Linden the tour before her 2007 debut. That, she said, “made me fall in love with 26.2.”

“Everyone talks about Boston’s special history,” Linden said. “You can feel it on the course, you can see it on race day. But to have that collection of the very first medals and the shoes that were being worn … ”

Sharon Lokedi Withdraws from the Boston Marathon due to an injury

Sharon Lokedi’s highly anticipated return to competition will be postponed for the time being. On Thursday, March 30, the 2022 New York City Marathon champion announced via Instagram that she will not run the Boston Marathon on April 17. She said an injury forced her to withdraw from the race.

“Just when everything was lining up well and getting excited to toe the line once again, I sustained an injury that hindered my training, not giving me enough time to get back,” Lokedi, 29, wrote on social media.

Three weeks ago, Lokedi’s coach, Stephen Haas, told Runner’s World she was training well in Kenya, but she was slightly behind where she was for her New York City Marathon buildup because she took a lengthy break after the race. Runner’s World has reached out to Haas for comment on the injury.

Last fall, the University of Kansas graduate stunned in her first 26.2 at the New York City Marathon. She outran veterans, including reigning world champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia and Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, who was born in Kenya and now runs for Israel, to win the World Marathon Major in 2:23:23. Securing the upset put Lokedi on the map as the next rising star on the roads.

The Boston Marathon would’ve been Lokedi’s first race since her debut in November.

Prior to Thursday’s announcement, Lokedi was considered a favorite among a stacked elite field. The remaining podium contenders include Salpeter, who finished second in New York City, and Gebreslase. They’ll be joined by Ethiopian Amane Beriso, who ran 2:14:58, the third-fastest marathon in history, and two-time world champion Hellen Obiri, who was added to the lineup earlier this week.

Red Sox icon David Ortiz named 2023 Boston Marathon Grand Marshal

On Friday, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced that MLB Hall of Famer and Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz will serve as Grand Marshal for the 127th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17.

The three-time World Series champion will serve as the 2023 Grand Marshal, kicking off the race with a speech in Hopkinton, before the 30,000+ entrants from 122 countries make the 42.2km journey down to Boylston Street. Ortiz will ride in the lead vehicle, and will reach the finish shortly before race champions break the finish tape out front of the Boston Public Library.

This year’s race marks the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. In the wake of the 2013 bombing, Ortiz gave a memorable speech to Bostonians at Fenway Park before the Red Sox game. He took on the role of a leader on the Red Sox from 2003 to 2016, embodying the spirit of the city on and off the field.   

Ortiz, 47, won’t be the only former Boston sporting legend taking part in this year’s race; former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who led the Bruins to a 2011 Stanley Cup, will be running the marathon for The Hoyt Foundation. This will be Chara’s first marathon.

The 127th Boston Marathon has many storylines, but the most interesting one will be how the greatest marathoner in history, Eliud Kipchoge, fares in his Boston debut. The 38-year-old marathon world record holder is on a quest to win all six Abbott World Marathon Majors; he currently has four wins, missing only Boston and New York. (He is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist.)

Eliud Kipchoge: Three down, three to go

“I want to not only compete in all six but to do so and win. These are two different targets. What’s more, I have added another challenge of getting course records for the other half of the races,” Kipchoge said in a recent interview with NN Running Team, setting out a new goal for an athlete who has achieved almost every target put in front of him.

Already a two-time Olympic champion, reigning world record holder and the only man to run a marathon in under two hours, it would be easy to forgive Kipchoge for wanting to rest on his considerable laurels after a career in which he has won 15 of the 17 marathons he has run.

But the man who is a living personification of his catchphrase “No human is limited” is on a mission to change the face of history by winning the six most prestigious marathon races on the planet in record time.

He currently owns the course record in three marathons, London (2:02:37) set in 2019, Tokyo (2:02:40) set in 2022 and Berlin, the current world record of 2:01:09 also set in 2022.

That leaves three left on his bucket list, starting with the Boston Marathon, which takes place on April 17 2023.

Steve Gilbert now 77 was diagnosis with Parkinson’s in 2004 but it did not stop him to go after a dream to qualify to run the Boston Marathon

My racing career began with a 2010 half marathon, six years after my Parkinson’s diagnosis at age 64 and after three years of training at Rock Steady Boxing I ran 2:45:00 for the half.  I was not at my best that day, but I finished.

The next year I ran my first marathon with my brother Bruce (third photo). Five years later I connected with Matt Ebersole at Personal Best Training.  With his help I had 18 podium finishes. I had gotten faster. 

The year I turned 70 I was still gaining pace and my age-group had thinned dramatically. You must be present to win. It all depends on who shows up. I won my AG at my next 19 races, then at 72 I stumbled through a half marathon.  A month later at a half I was back on the podium.

In November 2019, at age 74,  my half fell apart again. My neurologist said I had 30% nerve function loss in my left leg and he said I should not run more than five miles. At that point I didn’t feel like running farther, but I chafed at the restriction. 2020 was the year of ‘remote’ races but I sneaked in a 10K near the end.

In 2021, I stood on the top step in very thin fields. Many races were still being cancelled, but when my club put on a quarter/half marathon in December I ran the half impromptu and finished first in my age-group.  

The time made me think I could run Boston in 2023! I would need some slack to qualify and I knew Boston offered help to offset neurological impairment. The time adjustment offered to those with Parkinson’s made it possible. What a thrill it would be for someone with a movement disorder to be able to participate in this iconic marathon. 

I’ll take it! I started training again. The April 2022 Carmel Marathon was my target Boston qualifier race. It began with a cold rain, then sleet at start time and snow later. I still was optimistic and was able to finish with a BQ time and an AG course record. All of the records and wins are great for the ego, but are relative. I know there are those who could easily eclipse my time.

Now I am training for Boston, having been interrupted by a serious fall in December and Covid in February. I started my first marathon on injured knees. I am looking forward to good knees April 17th.

If the outcome were certain, there would be no point in the doing. I plan to run strong and finish healthy.  My wife and several family members and friends will be there to support me, along with many other well-wishers from afar. There will be previous Boston and New York winners competing in my age-group.  I won’t be on the podium, but crossing the finish line will be my greatest win.

God did not ask me to run, but he allowed me the body and spirit to do so. He created the miracle that is each of us and the finish line will be my testament to His Glory.

(Steve credits Rock Steady Boxing for awakening the potential to run, his brother Bruce ​​​for the inspiration, and Forté Sports Medicine for keeping his body working. He trains ​​​regularly with Personal Best Training and the Fishers Running Club.  Steve hopes to get under five hours with the help of his brother Bruce.)

Two-time Olympic medalist Hellen Obiri joins Boston Marathon elite list

On Wednesday, Hellen Obiri, a two-time Olympic medalist from Kenya, was announced as a late addition to the women’s elite field at the 2023 Boston Marathon on April 17, joining an already star-studded field featuring world championship and Olympic medalists. 

This will be the second marathon of Obiri’s 12-year professional career. Her debut came last fall in New York, where she finished sixth in 2:25:49. 

Last fall, Obiri moved from Kenya to Boulder, Colo., joining forces with coach Dathan Ritzenhein and On Athletics Club. She started her 2023 season with a bang, winning UAE’s RAK Half Marathon in February in 65:05 and setting a course record of 67:21 at the NYC Half two weeks ago. Obiri owns the fifth-fastest half-marathon result in history, with a personal best of 1:04:22 from February 2022.

This past week, Obiri made headlines on Strava as she did a 25-mile long run at 2:25 marathon pace with her OAC training partner Joe Klecker of the U.S. (who posted the run). According to Klecker’s Strava caption, Obiri hit 40K in 2:18 (even with a 7:14 first mile).

Obiri’s winning streak has indicated that she’s in great shape and now comes into Boston as one of the favourites in the women’s elite field. She will be challenged by 2022 world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase, 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion Lonah Salpeter and the woman who beat Obiri last fall in NYC, Sharon Lokedi.

We are less than three weeks away from the 127th Boston Marathon.

Starting in 2024 the Boston Marathon will have a new primary sponsor for the first time since 1985

Following a months-long search, the Boston Athletic Association announced Monday that Bank of America will become the new presenting sponsor of the historic annual race. The announcement launches a decade-long agreement between the B.A.A. and the major bank.

"We are super excited for the city of Boston, for our sport of running to be partnering with Bank of America beginning in 2024, for not only the Boston Marathon, but everything that the Boston Athletic Association does," said Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the B.A.A.

Bank of America will replace John Hancock, which is sponsoring the Boston Marathon for the last time on April 17. 

"When we saw that John Hancock was going to move on -- and they've been an incredible partner for the B.A.A. -- we jumped at the opportunity," said Miceal Chamberlain, Bank of America's president for Massachusetts and national regional executive for global commercial banking. "From our CEO, Brian Moynihan, on down, we said this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime (opportunities) to partner and align with an organization that has similar values and purposes and wants to do well in the community."

The bank is also the title sponsor of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon but unlike that arrangement, the bank and B.A.A. agreed to put the sponsorship after the name of the race. Accordingly, starting in 2024, the full title of the event will be "The Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America."

"We want to be there to help shine a brighter light on it. Give it more attention. Our branding, our marketing, we think, can help amplify the message that they've been delivering for over 100 years now," said Chamberlain.

In addition to the sponsorship of the marathon, Bank of America and the B.A.A. said they will work together to grow the Boston Marathon's non-profit, engagement and philanthropic initiatives.

"Bank of America saw the Boston Marathon as something special, something different. And Bank of America saw that we can achieve what we are seeking to do together with the way we are positioned," said Fleming. 

As the new and exclusive local broadcast partner of the Boston Marathon, WCVB Channel 5 will broadcast the race live on Monday, April 17, with the national simulcast airing on ESPN.

Kipchoge steps up preps with eyes on Boston Marathon title

Eliud Kipchoge is targeting a course record at next month's Boston Marathon even as he steps up preparations for the April 17 race.

Speaking to NN Running Team, Kipchoge who is regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, said: "I just don't want to participate at the sixth Abbott World Marathon Major. I want to win it with a course record. It will be another milestone since I already have course records from the Tokyo, London and Berlin marathons.

The Boston Marathon course record stands at 2:03:01, set by Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

The two-time Olympic Marathon champion who lives and trains in Kaptagat added: "All is well as far as training is concerned. I think I am in the right direction heading towards April."

"It is the right time now to train on the 'Boston route' here in Kenya. It is an uphill and tough course of about 40km. Training at high altitude is good since it can help one breathe well and run fast."

Kipchoge is also keen on defending his Berlin Marathon title on September 23.

"Berlin and Boston are two different races on different continents. Berlin is a flat course. Boston on the other hand, is uphill and needs a lot of patience and hard work to go through," said Kipchoge.

"Boston is unpredictable and sometimes the weather is challenging but I am trying to be all-rounded."

Tallest player to ever play in the NHL is running the 2023 Boston Marathon

The former Boston Bruins defenceman and captain, Zdeno Chara, who stands at six feet and nine inches, will run his first marathon in Boston.

After 26 years in the NHL, the 6’9″ defenceman, Zdeno Chara, is ready for his next challenge—the 2023 Boston Marathon. On Sunday, the tallest player in NHL history said on his Instagram that he plans to run his first marathon on April 17, in support of two Boston-based charities, the Thomas E. Smith Foundation and The Hoyt Foundation.

Chara holds the all-time NHL record for most games played by a defenseman, with 1,680. Chara played for four teams over his 20+ year career, starting with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

“I’m so happy to announce that I am running my first marathon,” Chara wrote on his Instagram. “There’s no better first marathon than the Boston Marathon on April 17th!

“The Hoyt Foundation has made an incredible impact on millions of people worldwide and personally helped to motivate (the Bruins) to our 2011 Stanley Cup win,” He said in the post. “The Hoyt Foundation has an amazing legacy with the iconic marathon.”

Dick and Rick Hoyt became a well-known Boston Marathon pair, Dick pushing his son in a wheelchair along the 26.2-mile course dozens of times. Dick Hoyt died in September 2021 at the age of 80.

The Thomas E. Smith Foundation’s mission is to better the lives of those affected by and living with paralysis through financial and emotional aid while supporting preventive innovations that decrease the risk of spinal cord injuries.

You do not often see athletes of Chara’s stature take on the marathon, especially on a course as difficult as Boston. We think he’ll certainly be easy to spot in his corral. 

Sheila Chepkirui eyes Boston after winning Semi De Paris

Reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Sheila Chepkirui is keen to add another feather to her cap during next month's Boston Marathon in the United States of America.

Speaking after winning the Paris Half Marathon title in France on Sunday, Chepkirui admitted that the title was not won easily because she has to battle the cold conditions in France.

“The victory here is a precursor for the Boston Marathon next month. I have to train well to ensure I get the results,” said Chepkirui, the two-time national cross-country champion.

The Kericho-based athlete won the 21km distance after clocking 66.00 minutes ahead of Ethiopian Betelihem Yemer (66.45) and Kenyan Marion Kibor (66.45), who completed the podium. Both Yemer and Kibor ran their personal bests.

“Despite the chilly condition, things were not badly off for me because it was not windy,” she said.

In the men’s race, it was a 1-2 podium finish for Kenyan athletes with  Roncer Kipkorir emerging victorious in 59:38 minutes.

Kipkorir ran his personal best and course record after beating Josphat Chumo to second place in 59:53, also a personal best. Home runner  Jimmy Gressier was third in 61:29.

In Italy, former Atlanta Half Marathon champions, Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek and Isaac Kipkemboi won the Rome Ostia race.

The Kapsabet-based Tuitoek ran away with the women's title in 66:21 minutes ahead of Kenya- born turned-Israeli Lornah Salpeter and Magdalene Masai.

The 66.21 minutes was Tuitoek's personal best time as Salpeter came second at 66:56 and Masai (67:07) third.

In the men's race, Isaac Kipkemboi led a Kenyan 1-2 finish as he posted his personal best of 59:47. Wesley Kimutai (59:47) took the second place with Ethiopian Tadese Takele Bikira was third in 59:56.

U.S. Champion Erika Kemp is set for Boston Marathon debut

Erika Kemp has lived in Boston since 2018, training with the Boston Athletic Association’s pro team. But she has never trained on the Boston Marathon course. Why would she? Most of her training was for track and road 5Ks and 10Ks and the occasional longer distance, like the U.S. 20K championships, which she won in 2021.

Now that Kemp’s making her marathon debut—at Boston—she and her new coach, Kurt Benninger, who is based in Providence, Rhode Island, figured it was time to put some long runs in on the road she’ll be racing in April. The plan on February 26 was for her to run 20 miles, the longest run she’s ever gone, starting at mile 3 of the course and getting through the Newton hills. It’s a straight shot—at least for most people.

But Kemp, 28, who admits she gets lost easily, was running on the right side of the road through the town of Wellesley when she inadvertently got off course. She ran onto Route 9, an unappealing stretch of road with office parks, car dealerships, and a 50-mile-per-hour speed limit. She didn’t realize she was on the wrong road until 6 miles later. By the time she got back to her home in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, she had exceeded 23 miles—and she never did see those Newton hills.

She put in a call to Benninger.

“I didn’t quite know how to tell him,” Kemp said. “It’s still a relatively new coaching relationship. How do I tell him I ran an extra 20 minutes and didn’t see the second half of the course I was supposed to see?”

Benninger, though, thought it was funny. So did Kemp. “He was super chill about it,” she said, and he told her, “Well, you got some extra volume. We’ll definitely go over directions more carefully next time.”

New beginnings

Early 2023 has brought many new roads for Kemp—some figurative, some literal. She decided not to re-sign with the B.A.A.’s High Performance Team at the end of last year. Now, in addition to the new race distance she’s trying, she has a new sponsorship deal with Brooks and a new training situation.

After Boston, she’ll move to Providence to be in person with Benninger’s group, which includes pros Marielle Hall, Helen Schlactenhaufen, and Brian Shrader (though the latter two train mainly in Boston). In addition, Benninger’s wife, Molly Huddle, who is coached by Ray Treacy, comes to a lot of their practices. Occasionally Emily Sisson, another Treacy athlete, will be in town. Kemp expects she’ll match up with Hall for most of her workouts.

It’s a big change from what she’s been doing, but Kemp felt like she needed it. She was a six-time All-American at North Carolina State University, and she improved on her college times at the B.A.A., running 15:10 for 5,000 meters on the track and 31:35 for 10,000. But she felt like she came up short at the biggest moments.

“I have yet to feel like I really have had that breakthrough race,” she said, “where all of my training and improvements have been reflected in a singular performance. I have had a lot of races the last couple of years where I got to the start line kind of fatigued. I don’t feel like it’s 100 percent reflective of how much I’ve improved.”

When she decided to leave the B.A.A., she didn’t have a training situation lined up for herself yet, and she was still talking to sponsors. So she got herself through the early days of marathon training by consulting with friends and a network of experienced marathoners, building up her mileage to 90 per week from the high 70s or low 80s she had been doing. It was a big jump for her, but she handled it well.

The only downside to marathon training is the constant hunger. Kemp is usually a sound sleeper, but she found herself waking up at 3 a.m. several nights in a row. Finally she realized she was hungry and started scarfing down a bowl of cereal. Then she’d go right back to sleep.

“You’re literally eating a bowl of cereal in the dark, and thinking, ‘What is my life right now?’” she said.

Whatever she was running—and eating—worked: In January, she finished seventh at the Houston Half Marathon in a PR of 1:10:14, averaging 5:22 per mile. With the performance, Kemp qualified for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, which she intends to run.

She said that Brooks felt like a natural fit as a sponsor, and the company didn’t mind if she wanted to stay on the East Coast instead of joining one of its two established training groups in Michigan or Seattle.

Spencer, beloved Boston Marathon dog, dies after battle with cancer

Spencer, a golden retriever who became famous for cheering on runners each year during the Boston Marathon, has died.

Spencer's owners confirmed Tuesday that the "Official Dog of the Boston Marathon" died.

"We told him we loved him, and we thanked him until his last breath," Spencer's owner, Rich Powers said. "He was a gift given to us that we shared with the world, and we just gave it back."

Spencer was 13 years old and in October was diagnosed with untreatable liver cancer. It was the second time Spencer battled cancer, previously having a tumor removed in 2020.

"Throughout all of his treatments, I cannot stress this enough, this dog handled it like champ," Powers said. "He gave us his last gift to not make us wonder for the rest of our lives, 'Did we make the right decision?' We know we made the right decision."

In January, artists unveiled a massive portrait of Spencer at the Fairmont Copley Plaza as he was named the honorary canine ambassador for the hotel.

B.A.A. announces pregnancy deferral accommodations for all B.A.A. events, including Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today accommodation enhancements pertaining to runners who are expecting or have recently welcomed a child into their families. Pregnancy and postpartum deferrals of entries will now be available for registered participants at all B.A.A. events, including the Boston Marathon (April), B.A.A. 5K (April), B.A.A. 10K (June), and B.A.A. Half Marathon (November).

“In listening to our participants and stakeholders, the desire from mothers and expecting mothers to participate in our races –particularly the Boston Marathon—while also focusing on building a family was clear,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “Women who are entered in a B.A.A. race and want to expand their family will be able to do just that without giving up a chance to participate at a future B.A.A. event.”

Any athlete who is a registered entrant in a B.A.A. event and is or becomes pregnant prior to race day and chooses not to participate due to such circumstances will be eligible to receive a deferred entry into one of the next two subsequent future races. The new pregnancy and postpartum deferment policy is effective immediately, and includes athletes who are entered in the Boston Marathon by way of qualifying time or invitational entry. 

Athletes seeking a pregnancy or postpartum deferral may submit a request in writing to registration@baa.org any time between receiving confirmation of acceptance into the event and up to 14 days before race day. Upon receipt of a pregnancy or postpartum deferment request, the B.A.A.’s Athlete Services team will be in contact with the athlete and will request confirmation of pregnancy from a physician, registered midwife, or other medical professional.

“We at the B.A.A. are always looking for ways to improve the participant experience starting at the point of registration, and have been collaborating to create this policy for many months,” said Susie Cleary, the B.A.A.’s Director of Athlete Services. “This new deferral accommodation has been implemented with the goal of supporting mother runners along their journey at all our events, from the 5K distance through the marathon.”

If an athlete becomes pregnant again during a pregnancy or postpartum deferral period, they may request a second consecutive pregnancy or postpartum deferral. This would permit the athlete to defer their race entry for a subsequent two-year period. The B.A.A. will allow up to two consecutive pregnancy deferral requests per athlete. Policy details will be posted on www.baa.org soon.

The pregnancy deferral opportunity is an accommodation in addition to the registration insurance currently offered to Boston Marathon participants, which covers refunds for a variety of situations, including pregnancy. All other rules and requirements for race entry after a pregnancy or postpartum deferral will apply, including payment for future registration entry fees.

In addition to deferrals, the B.A.A. will be enhancing accommodations for recent mothers on race weekend. For more than a decade, mothers have been provided the opportunity to utilize designated tents at the start and finish of the Boston Marathon for lactation pumping. In response to the overwhelming support of this program and the accompanying medical device transport program (where race officials transport devices such as breast pumps from the start to finish), the B.A.A. plans to share additional accommodations as race day approaches. The B.A.A. is currently consulting a group of mother runners to help facilitate best practices at our events. More information will be shared with participants over the coming months.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The 127th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 17, 2023. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

Eliud Kipchoge hopes to make history as the only athlete to win all the marathon majors

Speaking over the weekend during the unveiling of his murals in Eldoret, the world record holder said his next stop will be Boston in April before closing the season with the New York Marathon later in the year.  

Kipchoge has so far won Tokyo, London, Berlin and Chicago, which are part of the World Marathon Majors.

He said winning Boston and eventually New York City Marathon will be great.

“2022  was a great and very successful year for me. Right now my focus is on the Boston Marathon as I seek to win my fifth World Marathon Majors race,” said the four-time  Berlin Marathon champion.

Kipchoge said he wants to consolidate the six-star marathon medals as well as engage in other community-based projects under his Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.

He said he is currently looking at projects anchored around education and tree planting. 

The four-time London marathon champion said his target in the education sector is to build at least a library in each of the 47 counties.

“I do not only want to construct a library in each county, but also adopt a forest in each county. This is a big dream but I know there is a need to plant more trees so that humanity can have clean air to breathe as well as conserve the environment,” he said.

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the murals are artistic impressions in honour and celebration of  Kipchoge’s achievement as one of the greatest marathoners.

The murals were inscribed: ‘No human is Limited' and ‘Wenye nidhamu tu maishani ndio wako huru' meaning 'only the disciplined are free'.

Ndegwa also announced a Sh1m donation towards Eliud Kipchoge Foundation. In addition, the telco will also support Eliud with 5,000 tree seedlings as part of his tree-growing initiative at Kaptagat Forest. 

In Boston, Kipchoge will be up against former New York Marathon champion Albert Korir, former Commonwealth 5,000m gold medallist Augustine Choge, Shura Kitata and Ghirmay Ghebreslassie.

Also expected to challenge the streets of Boston are champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Benson Kipruto, two-time winner Lelisa Desisa and Tanzanian record-holder Gabriel Geay.

Albert Korir, Shura Kitata and Gabriel Geay confirmed to take on Kipchoge in Boston

Major marathon winners Albert Korir and Shura Kitata, as well as 2015 world champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, are among the many additions to the men’s elite field for the Boston Marathon on April 17, organizers of the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race announced today (11).

Today’s announcement expands upon four previously announced men’s entrants including world record-holder and double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, reigning Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Benson Kipruto, and two-time victor Lelisa Desisa.

It brings the total number of sub-2:07 performers in the field to 15. Eight of those have bettered 2:05.

Korir, the 2021 New York Marathon champion, made his Boston debut last year and finished sixth. But Kitata, who beat Kipchoge to win the 2020 London Marathon champion, and Ghebreslassie will be making their Boston Marathon debuts.

Tanzanian record-holder Gabriel Geay is the third fastest man in the field, after Kipchoge and Chebet. Geay, who finished runner-up at the Valencia Marathon last month in 2:03:00, has had success racing on the roads of Boston, winning the 2018 Boston 10K and placing fourth at last year’s Boston Marathon.

“I am excited to be returning to the Boston Marathon this year,” said Geay. “I fulfilled a dream by racing in Boston last year, but my goal is to one day win the race, and I hope that 2023 will be my year.”

Brazilian Olympian and national record-holder Daniel Do Nascimento will make his Boston debut, as will Ethiopia’s Herpasa Negasa, a 2:03:40 marathon runner. Augustine Choge, one of the most versatile runners in the world, will also line up in Boston, hoping to conquer the marathon distance once and for all.

After a 2:08:16 marathon debut in Chicago last year, USA’s Conner Mantz will take on the Boston course for the first time. He will be joined by world 50km record-holder CJ Albertson.

Boston Athletic Association announces 2023 Boston Marathon men´s field

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today the men’s professional field for the 127th Boston Marathon, featuring 15 men who’ve run under 2:07 for the marathon distance, as well as multiple Abbott World Marathon Major race champions, Olympic and Paralympic stars.

Today’s announcement expands upon four previously announced men’s entrants including world record holder and double Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge, reigning Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Benson Kipruto, and two-time victor Lelisa Desisa. A total of 109 men’s athletes from 21 countries are in this year’s professional field across the men’s Open, Wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions.

“The Boston Marathon is known for its competitiveness, with many races decided in the final meters on Boylston Street,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes. “This year’s field brings together athletes who’ve excelled at both speed and championship-style racing. Combined with the women’s professional field announced on Monday, this will be the fastest and most decorated Boston Marathon across all of our divisions in race history.”  

Behind Kipchoge and Chebet, the fastest man in the field will be Tanzanian national record holder Gabriel Geay, who finished runner-up at the Valencia Marathon last month in 2:03:00. Geay has had success racing on the roads of Boston, winning the 2018 B.A.A. 10K, placing fourth at last year’s Boston Marathon, and finishing in second and third at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

“I am excited to be returning to the Boston Marathon this year,” said Geay. “I fulfilled a dream by racing in Boston last year, but my goal is to one day win the race, and I hope that 2023 will be my year. Thank you, Boston for the opportunity!”

Joining Geay will be past Abbott World Marathon Majors winners including Albert Korir of Kenya (2021 New York City champion), Ghirmay Ghebreslassie of Eritrea (2015 World Championships gold medalist and 2016 New York City champion), and Shura Kitata of Ethiopia (2020 London Marathon champion). Brazilian Olympian and national record holder Daniel Do Nascimento will make his Boston debut, as will Ethiopia’s Herpasa Negasa, a 2:03:40 marathoner.

Last year’s seventh-place finisher and top American, Scott Fauble, returns for his fourth Hopkinton-to-Boston race, and will be joined by 50K world record holder CJ Albertson. After a 2:08:16 marathon debut in Chicago last year, Conner Mantz will take on the Boston course for the first time. He is coached by Olympic marathoner Ed Eyestone.

“I love the Boston Marathon. It’s one of the greatest sporting events in the world,” said Fauble. “It has a way of bringing the best out of people.”

"Boston is such a historic marathon, and I want to be a part of that history,” said Mantz. “I love the aspect of racing with no pacers and hills that break up rhythm, and Boston has both of those. When you add in the competition Boston is bringing this year with Eliud Kipchoge and many others, it makes the race so exciting!"

Ben True, a Maine native and four-time winner of the B.A.A. 5K, also is part of the American field. B.A.A. High Performance Team members Matt McDonald, Paul Hogan, and Jonas Hampton will have the hometown edge; McDonald set a new B.A.A. club record and lifetime best of 2:09:49 in Chicago last fall.

American Daniel Romanchuk will return as defending champion in the wheelchair division, coming off a 1:26:58 victory last April. Romanchuk also won Boston in 2019 (1:21:36), though he looks to be challenged by wheelchair marathon world record holder and reigning Paralympic marathon gold medalist Marcel Hug. Hug returns in search of his sixth Boston Marathon title and holds the Boston course record of 1:18:04. In 2022 the Swiss ‘Silver Bullet’ won the B.A.A. 5K in 10 minutes, 5 seconds, a course record time.

“Nothing can compare with the excitement and anticipation at the Boston Marathon,” said Romanchuk. “I’m incredibly excited and honored to be part of what should be a great race through the hills and all the way to Boylston Street.”

Aaron Pike, last year’s wheelchair division runner-up, and Ernst van Dyk, a ten-time Boston winner, are also racing. A $50,000 course record bonus is available to any open division or wheelchair division athlete who breaks a course record.

Paralympians Matthew Felton and Atsbha Gebre Gebremeskel lead the Para Athletics Division in the T46 classification (upper-limb impairment). American record holder and Massachusetts native Chaz Davis will look to defend his T12 (vision impairment) Para title.

Headlining the T62 and T63 classification are Marko Cheseto Lemtukei and Brian Reynolds. Cheseto Lemtukei earned a victory in 2:37:01 last year, while Reynolds set a pending T62 world record of 1:25:46 at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in November.

“A perfect society is one that sees diversity of its members as her strength,” said Cheseto Lemtukei, who returns as a two-time Boston Marathon Para Athletics Division champion.

The 127th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 17, 2023 – Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—and will feature 30,000 participants. 

B.A.A. announces women’s elite field for 127th Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletics Association (B.A.A.) has revealed the women’s elite field for the 127th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17. The field features 16 women who have run under 2:21, including the 2022 world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase and two-time Boston champion Edna Kiplagat.

Three other notable athletes who are making their Boston debuts are 2022 world championship bronze medallist Lonah Salpeter of Israel, 2022 NYC Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, and 2022 Valencia Marathon champion (and third fastest woman of all-time 2:14:58) Amane Beriso of Ethiopia.

“I am very excited to run the B.A.A. Boston Marathon this year,” said Salpeter in a press release. “It has always been my dream to run on this course and to experience the incredible atmosphere.” Salpeter is coming off a second-place finish at the New York City Marathon in November and a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the European Championships in August.  

Last year’s second and third-place finishers in Boston, Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia and Mary Ngugi of Kenya, both return with hopes of claiming the top spot on the podium. Yeshaneh came within four seconds of victory, while Ngugi placed second and third in Boston in back-to-back years.

Also back is Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya, a past winner of the New York City and London Marathons. Jepkosgei fell shy of her expectations in her 2022 debut, with a seventh-place finish. She will look to better her time of 2:24:43 in 2023.

Among the American contingent are Sara Hall, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Emma Bates, Nell Rojas and 2018 champion Des Linden. Rojas has finished as the top American at Boston two years in a row (fifth in 2021 and 10th, 2:25:57 in April 2022), while Hall and Bates were fifth and seventh in the marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Canada will be well represented in Boston with three athletes on the elite list. Liza Howard, the top Canadian at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, will lead the way with the top qualifying mark of 2:35:29. Howard is an up-and-coming marathoner out of Toronto, who had a breakthrough 2022 with a 19th-place finish in Chicago and a 12th-place result at the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa last May. 

Other Canadians on the elite list are 2004 1,500m Olympian and masters athlete Carmen Hussar, who has returned to racing recently, coming off a Boxing Day 10 Miler win in Hamilton, Ont., and Julie Lajeunesse of Montreal, with a personal best of 2:44:49 from the 2022 Chicago Marathon.

Kenya's Evans Chebet keen to defend Boston Marathon title

The 2022 New York City Marathon champion Evans Chebet is keen to defend his Boston Marathon title when he lines up against a competitive field on April 17, 2023.

Chebet, the second runner’s-up at the 2019 Berlin Marathon, said retaining the title he won this year in 2:06:51 is his main focus. Chebet added that winning the New York City Marathon was motivation enough for him to return to Boston and try to execute a good run.

The race will not be short of competition with the presence of current world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, the 2019 world marathon champion.

However, Chebet insists he is not afraid of the competition.

“I am aware of the elite athletes expected but I’m not afraid. I am confident I will achieve my target,” he said.

The 2020 Valencia Marathon champion revealed he is already back in training, adding that he doesn’t intend to change his program unless his coach, Claudio Berardelli, has other plans.

Chebet said he is equally inspired by his training mates' recent performances. Amos Kipruto won the London Marathon while Benson Kipruto, who is also lined up for Boston, won the Chicago Marathon.

“I will not change my program in training since it has helped my training mates win their respective marathons. However, I am waiting to see what my coach has in store for me,” he said, adding that he hopes to be injury-free.

Chebet put his 2023 World Championships ambitions on the knife edge since he also has New York City Marathon title defence in his plans.

However, he is keen on running at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Chebet said his 2022 season was a success and can only hope for better going forward.

“Winning two major marathons this year was a great achievement. The season has been amazing. I hope to replicate the same next year,” he concluded.

Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat upgraded to 2021 Boston Marathon champion

Edna Kiplagat of Kenya has officially become a two-time Boston Marathon champion. The BAA elevated Kiplagat to 2021 Boston Marathon winner on Tuesday after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) handed down a six-year suspension to former 2021 champion Diana Kipyokei. Kipyokei tested positive for triamcinolone acetonide (a corticosteroid)–a banned anti-inflammatory substance–post-race in Boston.

Kipyokei was also suspended for providing misleading information in her attempts to explain her use of the substance, including “fake documentation which she alleged came from a hospital,” according to the AIU. Kipyokei’s provisional suspension was announced Oct.14, but began on June 27 and her six-year ban has been backdated to June.

Kiplagat is now a two-time Boston Marathon champion, after winning the race in 2017 (she also ran to second in 2019). Kiplagat, 43, is widely regarded as one of the all-time greats in distance running.

Dubbed the “Queen of Persistence,” Kiplagat has competed at both the Olympic and World championship marathons, taking gold twice at the World champs in 2011 and 2013, and silver in 2017. Kiplagat has run all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

The Colorado-based athlete won the Abbott World Marathon Series VIII (2013–14) and was named the Series V (10–2011) champion following the disqualification of Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova. 

Kiplagat won both the London Marathon (2014) and New York Marathon (2010) with many second-place finishes. In 2021 she won the 7-mile (11.3 km) Falmouth Road Race, running away from the field in the second half of the race to break the tape in 36 minutes, 52 seconds.

Diana Kipyokei banned six years, stripped of Boston Marathon title

Kenyan Diana Kipyokei was banned six years and had her 2021 Boston Marathon title stripped for a positive drug test and then providing false information to anti-doping officials.

Kipyokei, 28, tested positive for a metabolite of triamcinolone acetonide (a corticosteroid) from a sample given after she won the Boston Marathon in October 2021.

Kipyokei then provided false and/or misleading information in trying to explain her positive test, “including fake documentation which she alleged came from a hospital,” according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which handles doping cases in track and field.

She chose not to challenge the charges, according to the AIU.

Kipyokei’s provisional suspension while her case played out was announced Oct. 14, but it began June 27. Her six-year ban has been backdated to June 27.

The Boston Athletic Association, which announced Oct. 14 that Kipyokei would be stripped of her Boston Marathon title should her case not be overturned on appeal, followed up on Tuesday to officially disqualify her.

Kipyokei, in her World Marathon Major debut, won Boston in 2:24:45, beating countrywoman Edna Kiplagat by 24 seconds. Kiplagat, then 41, has been upgraded to champion, making her the oldest runner to win the Boston Marathon in its history dating to 1897.

Kipyokei, who has no registered results since the 2021 Boston Marathon, is the second Boston Marathon winner to be stripped of their title in the last decade. Kenyan Rita Jeptoo also had her 2014 win disqualified for doping.

Kenyan John Korir ditches the Houston 21km for Boston Marathon

Houston half marathon runner-up John Korir will not defend his title on January 15, 2023 citing inadequate preparations.

Instead, Korir said he is focusing on the Boston Marathon, set for April 23 next year, where he will run alongside world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto.

“I feel like I have not done enough training to compete in Houston. I had a few issues I needed to handle but now my eyes are set for Boston,” said the newly-wed Korir.

“My target is to finish on the podium in Boston," Korir said, adding that he hopes to leave a mark on his debut of the city.

The two-time Los Angeles Marathon champion said he has just resumed training and committing to run in January would be hasty.

“My training will focus on hill running since Boston is a very hilly course, Korir said.

And following successful outings on American soil, Korir is hoping to extend his prowess.

At the 2022 Armaco Houston Half Marathon, Korir clocked 1:00:27 behind winner Milkesa Tolosa of Ethiopia (1:00:24).

He also won the 2021 and 2022 Los Angeles Marathon editions, clocking respective times of 2:12:49 and 2:09:08.

In his Chicago Marathon debut this year, Korir timed 2:05:01 for third, behind winner Benson Kipruto (2:04:24) and Ethiopia's Seifa Tura (2:04:49).

Kenyan Benson Kipruto to join Eliud Kipchoge in Boston Marathon

Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto yesterday confirmed he will join world record holder Eliud Kipchoge in Boston Marathon on April 17. 

Kipruto placed third in Boston last April and will be seeking to reclaim the title he won in 2021. 

Kipruto won the Boston Marathon in 2021 (2:09:51) but lost to winner  Chebet Evans (2:06:51) and Cherono Lawrence (2:07:27) who took the top two places this year.

"This year, the race was quite competitive and I had not done much in training.  However, third place was good under the circumstances,” Kiprop said.

Having had an impressive record in American races, the 2021 Boston champion said he is confident he will still make a podium finish. 

“I would like to finish among the top three if the race is hard but my main target is to reclaim my position,” he added.

The 31-year-old said he has just resumed his training after winning Chicago Marathon in October. 

“I want to focus on my training to avoid the mistakes I made in April. I have already started on my hill work and short sprints, thanks to coach Claudia Beraldelli," he noted. 

Kipruto revealed that athletics is his biggest source of income and that is why he is taking his career seriously. 

Since his marathon debut in 2015,  Kiprop has been consistent in producing outstanding performance. “Athletics is everything to me and that is why I take it seriously, " he added.

The 31-year-old has been training under the tutelage of 2-Running Club since 2016 when he officially joined the camp.  Kipruto said he is keen to follow in the footsteps of Eliud Kipchoge. “I really admire Kipchoge's humility," he noted. 

Kenyan Edna Kiplagat eyes second title in Boston

Former champion Edna Kiplagat is the only elite Kenyan female athlete invited for the Boston Marathon due for April 17, next year.

Kiplagat returns to the Boston Marathon course for the sixth time, having won in 2017 in two hours, 21 minutes and 52 second besides finishing second twice in 2019 in 2:24:13 and 2021 in 2:25:09.

However, the organisers of the Boston Marathon have now scaled Kiplagat to winner’s position this year after the initial winner Diana Kipyokei failed a doping test in October this year.

Kiplagat, 43, settled ninth in 2018 (2:47:14) behind winner, home athlete Desiree Linden and fourth in 2:21:52 this year where Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, reigned supreme 2:21:02.

Kiplagat, the 2011 and 2013 world champion, will face the reigning world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase from Ethiopia, Linden, who is eying to recapture the crown, and 2016 champion Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia.

Injured Jepchirchir will be missing in action.

Kiplagat set a new Masters Division record on her way to finishing fourth at the 2022 Boston Marathon in 2:21:40, and shows no signs of stopping.

While this will be Gotytom Gebreslase’s first Boston Marathon, it is far from her first time racing in Boston.

The Ethiopian world champion has finished runner-up at the Boston Half Marathon twice and has placed in the top-five three times at the Boston 5km.

Beyond winning a world title in 2022, Gebreslase placed third at both the Berlin Marathon and New York City Marathons this year.

“I am very happy to compete in the Boston Marathon 2023, as Boston is one of the most famous races in the world,” Gebreslase told the Boston Marathon website.

Gebreslasem said it has long been her dream to win the race.

" I raced many times in Boston in indoor races and then on the roads. So, I am happy to bring my career full circle as the World Champion with a chance to add the Boston Marathon title,” said Gebreslase.

Jack Fleming has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Athletic Association

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that Jack Fleming has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, effective immediately. Fleming brings more than three decades of experience at the B.A.A. to his new leadership role. His appointment follows a five-month-long national search.

“After a thorough process featuring a group of diverse candidates from across the country with various backgrounds, our Board decided that Jack was the best person for our organization based on his in-depth knowledge of the industry, the B.A.A. in particular, our athletes, and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Michael P. O’Leary, Chairman of the B.A.A. Board. “We are confident in Jack’s ability to take on this next challenge and thrive, moving our mission forward.”

“It is an honor to guide the Boston Athletic Association as we embark together on our next chapter, building upon our 135-year history,” said Fleming, who had been serving as acting Chief Executive Officer since May 1, 2022. “The B.A.A. has long been a leader in the sport of running and within Greater Boston. I have witnessed the unifying power that running can have in our community and look forward to a renewed and reenergized focus on our events, community initiatives, and programming. The entire B.A.A. team is committed to finding new and innovative ways we can lead and grow the sport as one.”

Prior to serving as acting Chief Executive Officer, Fleming was Chief Operating Officer of the B.A.A. from 2017 through 2022. Since 1992 Fleming has held a variety of roles within the organization, most notably within the communications, marketing, and sponsorship departments. As COO Fleming was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the B.A.A. and built a strategy that centered around the organization’s vision statement: Committed to a world where all people can access and benefit from running and an active lifestyle.

O’Leary added, “Jack’s contributions to the organization have been unprecedented, and we fully appreciate and understand his dedication and commitment to the B.A.A. as a whole. We have witnessed Jack’s continued growth since 1992, and his vision, enthusiasm, and knowledge make him perfect for this role.”

Prior to Fleming, Tom Grilk served as CEO/Executive Director from 2011 through 2022 as well as President from 2020-2022, while Guy Morse was Executive Director from 2000 through 2010.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. is committed to a world where all people can access and benefit from running and an active lifestyle. The B.A.A. advances its mission and vision in a variety of ways, such as organizing mass-participatory running events like the Boston Marathon (the world’s oldest annual marathon), creating and supporting community fitness events, and sponsoring a running club that serves the greater Boston area. 

The B.A.A. believes that everyone—no matter their race, gender, or background—should be able to advance their well-being safely and without fear or discrimination of any kind. The organization is committed to fostering a workplace and community that is diverse, equitable, inclusive and promotes a sense of belonging for all.

Kipchoge, Gebreslase and Chebet confirmed for Boston Marathon

World record-holder and double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and world champion Gotytom Gebreslase will make their Boston Marathon debuts on 17 April 2023, joining six former winners of the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race.

Defending champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Benson Kipruto, and two-time victor Lelisa Desisa will be part of a historically deep men’s elite race. Among the returning champions in the women’s field are Edna Kiplagat, Atsede Baysa and Desiree Linden.

As the fastest marathon runner in history, Kipchoge will take on the challenging Boston Marathon course with hopes of earning his 11th win in an Abbott World Marathon Majors event. Kipchoge’s last marathon resulted in a world record of 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon.

“I am happy to announce in April I will compete in the Boston Marathon, a new chapter in my Abbott World Marathon Majors journey,” said Kipchoge. “Good luck to all the runners running Boston in 2023.”

Chebet stormed to a 2:06:51 win at the Boston Marathon earlier this year then ran to victory at the New York City Marathon in November. In 2022, Chebet became just the sixth man in history to win the Boston and New York City Marathons in the same year.

“To be a champion in Boston is something very special and for me it has even more meaning because it took me quite some time during my career to be competitive enough to finally win the oldest marathon in the world,” said Chebet. “I can’t wait to be back and to enjoy the great atmosphere of such a unique and historical race!”

Kipruto, a training partner of Chebet, also returns. Almost exactly one year after winning the 2021 Boston Marathon, he won the Chicago Marathon in a PB of 2:04:24.

Desisa enters Boston with vital experience, having placed in the top two four times at the Boston Marathon (wins in 2013 and 2015 and second-place finishes in 2016 and 2019). April marks the 10-year anniversary of his first victory, one in which he donated his champion’s medal back to the City of Boston in recognition of the tragedy of 15 April 2013.

While this will be Gebreslase’s first Boston Marathon, it is far from her first time racing in Boston. The Ethiopian world champion has finished runner-up at the Boston Half Marathon twice and has placed in the top five three times at the Boston 5K. Along with winning the world title, Gebreslase placed third at both the Berlin Marathon and New York City Marathons this year.

“I am very happy to compete in the Boston Marathon 2023, as Boston is one of the most famous races in the world,” said Gebreslase. “It has long been a dream of mine to win the race. When I was a young track athlete, I raced many times in Boston in indoor races and then on the roads, so I am very excited and happy to bring my career full circle and come back to Boston now as the world champion.”

Kiplagat, a two-time world champion, is still highly competitive at the age of 43. She finished fourth at this year’s Boston Marathon in 2:21:40 – 12 seconds faster than her winning time in Boston in 2017.

Baysa, the 2016 Boston Marathon winner, also returns. Also a past winner in Chicago and Paris, Baysa finished eighth at the 2021 Boston Marathon. Linden, the winner in 2018, will be racing in her 10th Boston Marathon.

The complete elite field – including additional Boston Marathon champions, Abbott World Marathon Majors winners and global medallists – will be announced in the coming months.

Eliud Kipchoge to make Boston Marathon debut

World record holder Eliud Kipchoge will race the Boston Marathon for the first time on April 17.

Kipchoge, who at September’s Berlin Marathon lowered his world record by 30 seconds to 2:01:09, has won four of the six annual major marathons — Berlin, Tokyo, London and Chicago.

The 38-year-old Kenyan has never raced Boston, the world’s oldest annual marathon dating to 1897, nor New York City but has repeated in recent years a desire to enter both of them.

Typically, he has run the London Marathon in the spring and the Berlin Marathon in the fall.

Kipchoge’s last race in the U.S. was the 2014 Chicago Marathon, his second of 10 consecutive marathon victories from 2014 through 2019.

He can become the first reigning men’s marathon world record holder to finish the Boston Marathon since South Korean Suh Yun-Bok set a world record of 2:25:39 in Boston in 1947, according to the Boston Athletic Association.

In 2024 in Paris, Kipchoge is expected to race the Olympic marathon and bid to become the first person to win three gold medals in the marathon. 

For the second year in a row, all runners who applied to run the Boston Marathon will be accepted into the race, as long as they have a valid qualifying time

For the second year in a row, everyone who qualified for and applied to the Boston Marathon will get to run.

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced on September 21 that there is no cutoff time for the 2023 race. Applicants who ran a verified qualifying time for their age group and gender during the qualifying period will be accepted into the race, which will be held on April 17, 2023.

The field size of the race is 30,000 runners, which will make the race the same size as the 2022 edition—and almost back to pre-pandemic levels. In 2020, before the pandemic canceled the race, the field size was set at 31,500.

But runners have been slow to return to road racing—even as COVID-19 cases have dropped, vaccines and boosters have become widely available, and races have returned to the calendar.

Athletes cite the expense of race entry fees and the high cost of travel required to get to events, wariness about COVID-19, and shifting motivations as reasons why they’re not racing as frequently as they did in 2019 and the early days of 2020.

It appears even the Boston Marathon is not immune from these trends.

Usually 80 percent of the field, or roughly 24,000 spots, are reserved for time qualifiers. The other spots go to elite runners, those running for charity, and special invitational entries.

According to the B.A.A., the race had 23,267 applicants during this year’s registration period. The field of 2023 qualifiers is made up of 13,315 men, 9,930 women, and 22 nonbinary athletes.

In 2019, the B.A.A. received 27,288 applications for the 2020 Boston Marathon (which never happened, due to the pandemic). Application numbers have declined 14.7 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

The drop is in line with what other races are seeing across the U.S.—but somewhat surprising given Boston’s status as the Holy Grail among many marathoners.

Since the 2014 Boston Marathon, running a qualifying time has been no guarantee of entry into the race. Those who beat their qualifying times for their age and gender by the largest margins get in, while those who just squeak by with a qualifier have often been shut out.

Every year, runners eagerly await the announcement of the “cutoff” time—the margin by which you had to beat your qualifying time in order to gain entry into the race. In 2018, that cutoff reached 4:52 for the 2019 race, and more than 7,000 qualified runners who applied did not get in.

That September, the B.A.A. announced it was tightening the entry standards by 5 minutes across all age groups and genders.

Today’s announcement that there is no cutoff could also affect charities. In the past, many qualifiers who didn’t hit the cutoff ran the race for a charity. But with all verified applicants accepted, that reduces the pool of runners seeking bibs—and doing the required fundraising—for nonprofit organizations.

The 2023 race will be the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

“On Patriots’ Day, the determination, passion, and unity of marathoners will be on display, bringing our community together in the spirit of athletics and our heritage,” said Jack Fleming, acting Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A., in a release. “We are very much looking forward to the 127th running of the Boston Marathon in just seven months.”

Boston Marathon creates nonbinary division for 2023 race

Nonbinary athletes will be able to run in next year's Boston Marathon without having to register as members of the men's or women's divisions, race organizers announced Monday.

The Boston Athletic Association, which administers the prestigious marathon, said it's been working to expand opportunities for nonbinary people — not just for the marathon but for the BAA's other races, which include a 5K, a 10K and a half marathon.

Organizers confirmed the change as registration opened Monday for the 127th running of the marathon on April 17, 2023. A field of about 30,000 is expected for next spring's edition of the storied race.

Nonbinary athletes can submit entry applications if they've completed a marathon as a nonbinary participant during the current qualifying window, the BAA said. It said it's still working to establish qualifying standards for nonbinary participants, but that its online applications will include 'nonbinary' as a gender option.

"Discussions are ongoing with nonbinary athletes in an effort to further promote inclusion at all BAA events,' the organization said, adding, 'We view this first year as an opportunity to learn and grow together.'

Nonbinary pro miler and 1,500 runner Nikki Hiltz, who came out as transgender last year and narrowly missed a spot on the US team for the Tokyo Olympics, lauded the move.

'There's still so much work to be done but I'm thrilled that nonbinary runners are being acknowledged by the Boston Marathon and BAA,' Hiltz tweeted.

One Twitter user wrote that he saw the decision as a 'good compromise' on the issue of gender divisions in sports, but others disagreed with the move. 

'I'm sure no one will abuse this,' another Twitter user remarked sarcastically. 'Especially for a race that is notoriously tough to get qualified for.' 

The Boston Marathon is the latest major marathon to begin adding nonbinary divisions.

Last year's Philadelphia Distance Run, a premier event offering a half marathon and a 5K, became the first large race in the US to establish a nonbinary division and offer equal prize money.

The Brooklyn Marathon and Half Marathon followed in April. Eighty-two competitors who had registered as nonbinary participants were among the finishers, including Jacob Caswell, a middle-distance runner for Columbia University.

'Being able to not even win but just compete as yourself, it's just been freeing,' Caswell, who won the nonbinary division in Brooklyn, told The New York Times.

John Hancock dropping Boston Marathon sponsorship after 2023 race

Insurance company John Hancock is saying goodbye to its role as sponsor of the Boston Marathon after nearly four decades. 

It's a relationship that the company said helped to raise $426 million for charity over 37 years. The contract will end after the 127th running of the iconic marathon, which is scheduled for April 17. 

"Our contract with the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) was expiring in 2023 and after careful review we have chosen not to renew our principal sponsorship of the Boston Marathon after next year’s race," a John Hancock spokesperson said in a statement. "We are honored to have served as a steward for this historic race and thank the B.A.A. for their continued partnership over the years. We are looking forward to the 2023 race as principal sponsor and will work with the B.A.A. to ensure a smooth transition to its next partner."

"The B.A.A. thanks John Hancock for 37 years of partnership, and we continue to work hand in hand in advance of next April’s 127th Boston Marathon," BAA officials said in a written statement. "We're excited to find our next Boston Marathon principal sponsor, and look forward to partnering with an organization who shares our passion for athletic excellence, community engagement, and growing the Boston Marathon to new heights."

John Hancock is also on the verge of ending another decades-long partnership with an iconic Boston institution. The company's lighted sign over the Fenway Park outfield will be coming down at the end of this season, as that 30-year partnership comes to an end.

Starting in 2023, coverage of the annual Massachusetts Patriots' Day race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street will be handled locally by WCVB Channel 5 and nationally by ESPN.

Full statement from the BAA:

"John Hancock has served as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon for nearly four decades, helping to make the Boston Marathon the global and iconic race it is today. Together with the B.A.A., John Hancock has helped elevate all aspects of our event, from world-class professional athletes to fundraising for hundreds of non-profit programs. The B.A.A. thanks John Hancock for 37 years of partnership, and we continue to work hand in hand in advance of next April’s 127th Boston Marathon.

"At the B.A.A., our commitment to expanding events and creating more running opportunities has never been greater. We're excited to find our next Boston Marathon principal sponsor, and look forward to partnering with an organization who shares our passion for athletic excellence, community engagement, and growing the Boston Marathon to new heights. For 126 years, the Boston Marathon has been the world’s preeminent and most historic marathon. We're enthusiastically eager to embark on the next generation of Boston Marathon partnership."

ESPN and WCVB has signed a deal with the Boston Athletics Association to provide exclusive year-round coverage for all their events including the Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that ESPN and WCVB Channel 5 will serve as the exclusive national and local broadcast partners, respectively, for the Boston Marathon beginning in 2023. WCVB will also provide exclusive year-round coverage for all B.A.A. events including the B.A.A. 5K, B.A.A. 10K, and B.A.A. Half Marathon.

“We’re honored to partner with ESPN and WCVB Channel 5, respected market leaders who bring a spirit of innovation and thoughtful storytelling that will propel the mission of the B.A.A. and legacy of the world’s oldest annual marathon forward,” said Jack Fleming, acting Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “Both have established a tradition of broadcasting world-class athletic events, and we are excited to build on this tradition together into the future.”

“The Boston Marathon is one of the world’s most recognizable and best-known sporting events and we’re proud to be able to bring it to ESPN viewers for years to come,” said Burke Magnus, President, Programming and Original Content, for ESPN. “We look forward to working with the B.A.A. and WCVB to present the stories and athletic achievements of this classic race.”

“The B.A.A. and the Boston Marathon are esteemed around the world and beloved by our community, and to be launching this exclusive partnership as WCVB marks 50 years in broadcasting and service to the community is especially fitting,” said Kyle I. Grimes, WCVB Channel 5 President and General Manager. “WCVB has a proud history of covering the market’s marquee events, and the Boston Marathon is the perfect addition to Channel 5’s signature, local programming. We also look forward to working with the B.A.A. year-round to highlight their many other athletic events as well as the great work they do in the community.”

ESPN will broadcast the 127th Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on Monday, April 17, 2023, on its flagship channel from 8:30 a.m. ET until 1:00 p.m. ET. In addition, ESPN will also have coverage of the race within SportsCenter before the live coverage and later in the day, as well as coverage appearing on other ESPN shows and platforms.

Live coverage of the Boston Marathon will air on WCVB beginning at 4:00 a.m. ET through 8:00 p.m. ET. The race will be exclusively simulcast regionally on WCVB Channel 5’s Hearst Television owned sister-stations WMUR (Manchester, NH), WMTW (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY). WCVB and all of its television partners will provide coverage of the marathon on their digital platforms and mobile apps. The Boston Marathon will also be live streamed on Very Local Boston, and the streaming platform will host year-round content featuring the B.A.A. WCVB will also serve as the first-ever exclusive broadcast partner for the B.A.A.’s Distance Medley races and will provide year-round coverage of the B.A.A. and its races, with a focus on the Boston Marathon.

The partnership marks the return of the Boston Marathon to both ESPN and WCVB, with ESPN having aired the world’s most prestigious road race in the early 1980’s and then from 1997-2004. WCVB provided wire-to-wire coverage of the marathon from 1982 through 2006, including the largest Boston Marathon in history—the centennial Boston Marathon in 1996 featured 35,868 finishers.

127th 2023 Boston Marathon Field Size Established as 30,000 Participants and Registration to be held September 12–16, 2022

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that the field size for the 127th Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on Monday, April 17, 2023, has been established as 30,000 participants. Registration will take place over five days, September 12–16, 2022.

“The 127th Boston Marathon will be another significant moment in B.A.A. history, as we recognize and honor the tenth anniversary of 2013,” said Jack Fleming, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “On the third Monday in April 2023, athletes from around the world will gather with the resilience and spirit that has distinguished the Boston Marathon as the premiere event in road racing.”

Registration will open on Monday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will close on Friday, September 16, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The B.A.A. will use the same registration process for qualified runners as it used for the 2021 and 2022 races, allowing any athlete who has achieved a currently valid Boston Marathon qualifying time to submit a registration application between September 12–16, 2022 through the B.A.A.’s online platform, Athletes' Village.

Registration is not on a first-come, first-served basis and applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, September 16. The 2023 Boston Marathon qualifying window began on September 1, 2021 and will close at 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, September 16.

Qualifying standards for the 127th Boston Marathon can be found here. Qualifiers may submit an application at any point during the registration window. Achieving one’s qualifying standard does not guarantee acceptance into the Boston Marathon. Those who are fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted.

Entry fees and information on health and safety guidelines, including any COVID-19 policies, will be announced in the coming weeks. For the third straight year, participants will have the opportunity to purchase registration insurance at the point of registration.

The qualifying window for the 128th Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on April 15, 2024, will begin on September 1, 2022. Registration details for that race will be announced following the 2023 Boston Marathon.

The next B.A.A. event is the B.A.A. 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sunday, June 26. 

126th Boston Marathon Raises $35.6 Million For Area Non-Profits

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced that $35.6 million was raised for more than 200 non-profit organizations through this year’s 126th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18. The B.A.A. Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Non-Profit Program have combined to raise more than $460 million since the charity program’s inception at the 1989 Boston Marathon.

The $35.6 million raised this year includes donations raised through the B.A.A.’s Official Charity Program, the John Hancock Non-Profit Program, and from other qualified and invitational runners. A total of 2,566 participants ran as fundraising athletes at the 126th Boston Marathon. Further details can be found on the Boston Marathon’s fundraising page through GivenGain.

“The non-profit community across Greater Boston is resilient, and, as a non-profit itself, the B.A.A. takes great pride in being a catalyst for more than 200 charitable organizations to raise critical funds in support of their missions,” said Nicole Juri, the B.A.A.’s Director of Development. “The return to our full field size and traditional Patriots' Day date enabled our non-profit partners to raise even greater funds for a variety of meaningful causes.”

“It is outstanding to see the funds raised by this year’s Boston Marathon participants, all in support of non-profit organizations that are a driving force for our community and carry personal meaning for so many,” said Marianne Harrison, president and CEO of John Hancock. “We are committed to making lives better by empowering sustained health and well-being, and we are grateful to help bring that mission to life through the John Hancock Non-Profit Program. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this year’s race so inspiring and impactful.”

Earlier this year, the B.A.A. and John Hancock held the first-ever Boston Marathon Giving Day, which resulted in more than $1.1 million in donations over a 24-hour period to the 200 non-profit programs affiliated with the 126th Boston Marathon. Boston Marathon Giving Day was the second largest single day of donations to non-profits connected to the race, behind 2018 #GivingTuesday.

The B.A.A. annually provides non-profits associated with the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program with invitational entries into the Boston Marathon. Each non-profit organization directly manages its own application process, athlete selection, and fundraising minimums, deadlines, and requirements.

The 126th Boston Marathon marked the first Patriots’ Day race since 2019 and featured a 98.4% finish rate, with 24,918 athletes from 111 different countries and all 50 states earning their unicorn medals.

The B.A.A. will notify non-profit organizations who have been selected to participate in the 127th Boston Marathon as part of the B.A.A. Official Charity Program in Summer 2022. More information can be found on the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Non-Profit Program.

The next B.A.A. event is the B.A.A. 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sunday, June 26. Athletes can register online and compete with Boston Marathon champions and Olympians.

Boston Marathon's unique running history honored with World Athletics Heritage Plaque

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), which organizes the B.A.A. Boston Marathon (1897), the world’s oldest annual marathon, officially unveiled the World Athletics Heritage Plaque awarded to the race in 2019.

The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition, awarded for 'an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking'.

The official presentation of the plaque by World Athletics Heritage, which had been on hold due to the pandemic, took place in the race museum at B.A.A.’s HQ on Dartmouth Street, Boston, Massachusetts, where the plaque will be permanently displayed, and is adjacent to the finish line of the race.

The plaque was unveiled by Thomas S. Grilk, B.A.A. President & Chief Executive Officer, and World Athletics Heritage Director Chris Turner, in the company of Jack Fleming, B.A.A. Chief Operating Officer, and fellow colleagues from the B.A.A. organization.

The tough one

Boston’s notoriously demanding course, with its final incline ‘Heartbreak Hill’ 20 miles into the race that has gone down in marathon folklore, has floored many a world beater.

Amby Burfoot, the 1968 Boston Marathon champion, confirmed on Boston.com that the challenge is also “the downhill from the top of Heartbreak Hill to Cleveland Circle. This is called ‘Cemetery Mile’ for two good reasons: Evergreen Cemetery to the runners’ right, and the way the steep downhill deadens the legs, specifically the quadriceps muscles.”

Notably, despite the stature of the race, only five Olympic champions have ever managed to win in Boston.

Four women, firstly two-time Boston victor Joan Benoit (1979, 1983), who won the 1984 Olympic title in Los Angeles, and two three-time winners in Ethiopia's Fatuma Roba (1997, 1998, 1999), the Atlanta 1996 champion; Portugal's Rosa Mota (1987, 1988, 1990), who took the Olympic title in Seoul in 1988; and Kenya's 2022 Boston winner Peres Jepchirchir, who was the Olympic victor in Tokyo.

The sole male runner so far to accomplish the rare double is Italian Gelindo Bordin (1990), the Seoul 1988 Olympic champion, who took first place in Boston two years later.

The ‘American Marathon’

The racing singlets, running shoes, medals and trophies and hundreds of pieces of historic memorabilia in the B.A.A.'s museum pay tribute to the city’s famous marathon, which was inspired by and founded a year after the running of the inaugural Olympic marathon at the 1896 Games in Athens.

The B.A.A. itself had been established 10 years before. It was one of the association’s members, John Graham, who, as USA team manager at those 1896 Games witnessed the marathon race, proposed creating a similar long distance race in Boston.

The race, originally called the American Marathon, has an annual Monday date which makes it unique among elite international marathons. The Boston Marathon has always been held on the holiday commemorating “Patriots’ Day”, which since 1969 has become officially recognized as the third Monday in April.

The B.A.A., which has a mission to promote a healthy lifestyle, especially through running, has its HQ and museum virtually located at the finish line of the marathon.

Running treasure trove

The plaque, which is mounted on a wall in its own showcase in the museum, has joined a verifiable treasure trove of distance running artefacts associated with the race’s storied history.

The B.A.A.’s collection of memorabilia and its archive is always growing. In fact, they recently received a gift of a rare finisher medallion from the 1903 Boston Marathon. The competition bib number of last week’s Boston winner Jepchirchir is the very latest acquisition.

The perpetual Champions’ Trophy, which the winners receive immediately following the Boston Marathon, and the second place award (mounted plaque) from the first B.A.A. Boston Marathon in 1897 are standout exhibits.

Poignantly, the 2013 champion's medallion won by men’s victor Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia was gifted back to the City of Boston in the summer of 2013, shortly after the notorious bombings which occurred on marathon day that year.

The collection, which contains hundreds of artefacts and thousands of images, has recently been renamed as the Gloria G. Ratti Collection in posthumous recognition of their long-time archivist and historian. Ratti was a B.A.A. Vice President on the Board of Governors.