875. Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Boston Marathon
Ali on the Run Show
Ali Feller
4.9 • 4.2K Ratings
🗓️ 9 April 2026
⏱️ 162 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
"Calm, calm, calm. Relax, relax, relax."
Welcome to your guide to the 2026 Boston Marathon! We just about one week away from the 130th running of the world's oldest marathon. This year's Boston Marathon takes place, as always, on the third Monday of April — this year, that's April 20. In this mega-episode, I (along with a team of experts and insiders) attempt to answer all of your questions about all things Boston. Katie Hawkes and Lauren Proshan from the Boston Athletic Association are here to talk logistics (take some deep breaths — the journey to the start line is doable, and you won't be waiting around for too long once you get there!), elite athlete coordinator and B.A.A. Chief Operating Officer Mary Kate Shea talks about assembling this year's professional fields and about which storylines to follow, and 2018 champion and Boston favorite Des Linden joins to talk course strategy. Get excited: Whether you're running, volunteering, cheering, or watching from home, it's always a Boston to remember.
SPONSOR: Shokz! The official headphone of the Boston Marathon! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.)
IN THIS EPISODE:
- B.A.A. director of brand and experience Katie Hawkes talks about the significance of the Boston Marathon, and shares what's new for 2026 (4:45)
- Want to run Boston someday? Here's what you need to know about getting in (38:25)
- B.A.A Chief Operating Officer and elite athlete coordinator Mary Kate Shea talks about assembling this year's professional athlete fields, and shares the storylines to watch (56:45)
- Lauren Proshan, the B.A.A.'s chief of race operations and production, explains the process of getting to the start line in Hopkinton, and what to know once you're there (1:22:40)
- 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden breaks down the Boston Marathon course (2:05:45)
- All about the Boston Marathon finish line (2:36:25)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Allie on the Run show. |
| 0:06.7 | I'm your host, Allie Feller, and it's time. |
| 0:09.9 | Everything you need to know about the 26 Boston Marathon. |
| 0:14.6 | I've been doing these episodes for the past few years, and it is a marathon episode. |
| 0:20.0 | Several hours packed with information to take you from your home |
| 0:23.8 | to the expo to the start line and to the finish line. With, of course, plenty of detours along the way. |
| 0:30.5 | We love a scenic route. The Boston Marathon is always on the third Monday of April. This year, |
| 0:37.1 | that means runners will be starting their 26.2 |
| 0:40.2 | mile journey to that Boylston Street finish line on Monday, April 20th. It is the 130th running |
| 0:48.0 | of the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. Throughout this episode, you'll be hearing |
| 0:53.0 | from a range of Boston Marathon, |
| 0:55.0 | insiders, and experts to answer every question you may have about this iconic race. It is a big, |
| 1:01.7 | exhaustive labor of love this episode, and I love getting to bring it to you as you spend some time |
| 1:07.9 | luxuriating in your taper. I hope you're luxuriating. You doing okay, by the way? |
| 1:13.0 | Yeah. No, you totally are. You've got this. Take a deep breath. If you're running this year's |
| 1:19.2 | race, we're going to tell you all about the course, the Start Village, whether you might be lucky |
| 1:23.9 | enough to catch a glimpse of the pros at the start line and what to expect |
| 1:27.7 | after you cross the finish, which great news, it is nothing like the New York City Marathon |
| 1:32.2 | walk out of Central Park. And if you're feeling inspired, we'll tell you how to get in for next |
| 1:37.1 | time. The Boston Athletic Association's chief of race operations and production, Lauren Prochan, |
| 1:43.5 | we'll talk about getting to the start line and what to expect once you're there. |
| 1:47.3 | Mary Kate Shea, whose job it is to recruit the pros, talks about the pro athlete |
... |
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