Give the downhill back
Boston’s first half is net downhill, so even effort means a slightly faster first half than second. But the margin is small. Aim to reach halfway no more than a minute or two ahead of even pace, and save your quads for Newton.
Hopkinton to Boston, MA · Monday, April 19, 2027
Boston Marathon race guide
Boston runs point to point from Hopkinton into the city, and it drops about 465 feet along the way. That sounds fast, and the first four miles are, falling about 300 feet. But the downhill is what makes Boston hard. It beats up your quads before the Newton Hills, four climbs between miles 16 and 21 that end with Heartbreak Hill. Run the early miles with restraint, climb by effort, and the last five miles into Boston are mostly downhill.
Pace plan
Plan your race on this course
Set your goal and start time. Your checkpoints, the time of day you’ll reach each one, and the course guide below all update to match.
Build your plan01
Pacing
A little slower on the climbs, a little faster on the downhills and flats, for the same finish time. Based on where this course climbs. Treat it as an effort guide.
Runners start in waves, from about 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. Enter your wave’s start time to see the time of day you’ll reach each checkpoint.
Splits
Your Boston Marathon02
Average pace
8:01/mi
- First half
- 1:44:39
- Second half
- 1:45:21
- Finish line
Hover or tap a bar to see that mile.
| Checkpoint | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| AshlandMile 4 · A few seconds behind goal pace is right | 31:30 |
| Wellesley Scream TunnelMile 12.5 · Hold your pace through the noise | 1:39:46 |
| Halfway, WellesleyMile 13.1 · Even pace or a little slow. Don’t press yet | 1:44:39 |
| Newton Lower FallsMile 16 · The hills start here | 2:07:45 |
| Firehouse turnMile 17.5 · Right onto Commonwealth Avenue | 2:20:02 |
| Top of Heartbreak HillMile 21 · Mostly downhill from here | 2:48:31 |
| Kenmore SquareMile 25 · About a mile to go | 3:20:14 |
| FinishMile 26.2 · Boylston Street at Copley Square | 3:30:00 |
Save it to your phone, or send the link to the people cheering for you.
- Date
- Monday, April 19, 2027
- Start time
- Waves from 10:00 a.m. ET (in 2026, wave 1 at 10:00 through wave 6 at 11:21)
- Start
- Main Street, Hopkinton
- Finish
- Boylston Street at Copley Square, Boston
- Time limit
- Roads reopen behind a 13:44 per mile pace; the finish area closes around 5:30 p.m.
- Elevation gain
- About 490 ft
- Official site
- baa.org
- Profile
- Steep downhill for 4 miles, rolling to 16, four hills to 21, then downhill to the finish
- Best for
- Runners who’ve qualified or are running for charity: Boston is entry by qualifying time
- Biggest mistake
- Banking time on the downhill start and reaching Newton with tired quads
- Course
- Point to point and net downhill, so it isn’t eligible for records
The course
Mile by mile, at your pace
- Miles0–4
Hopkinton & Ashland Downhill
You start on Main Street in Hopkinton and drop about 300 feet in the first four miles into Ashland. It’s crowded and it feels effortless, which is the trap. Run these miles a few seconds slower than goal pace. The time you’d save isn’t worth the damage to your quads.
7:53 /miMile 4 at 31:30
- Miles4–12
Framingham & Natick Rolling
Route 135 levels out through Framingham and Natick, with gentle rises and dips and small-town crowds. This is where to settle into goal pace and start fueling. It’s easy to drift faster here, so check your splits.
8:02 /miMile 12 at 1:35:46
- Miles12–15.5
Wellesley Rolling
You hear the Wellesley College Scream Tunnel before you see it, around mile 12.5, and pass halfway in Wellesley. The road keeps rolling gently. Enjoy the noise, but don’t let it speed you up.
8:01 /miMile 15.5 at 2:03:50
- Miles15.5–16
Down to Newton Lower Falls Downhill
The course drops about 70 feet to the Charles River at Newton Lower Falls and crosses over Route 128. It’s the last real downhill before the hills, and the one that does the most damage to tired legs. Stay light and quick.
7:50 /miMile 16 at 2:07:45
- Miles16–21
The Newton Hills Climb
Four climbs: out of Lower Falls at mile 16, after the right turn at the Newton firehouse onto Commonwealth Avenue around mile 17.5, near Newton City Hall around mile 19.5, and Heartbreak Hill, about 85 feet over half a mile up to Boston College at mile 21. None is long, but together they decide the race. Run them by effort and let your pace slow.
8:09 /miMile 21 at 2:48:31
- Miles21–24
Brookline Downhill
Past Boston College the course falls about 200 feet over three miles: down Commonwealth Avenue, right at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, through Cleveland Circle and onto Beacon Street. If your quads have anything left, this is where you make up time. If not, keep your stride short.
7:54 /miMile 24 at 3:12:13
- Miles24–26.2
Kenmore Square & Boylston Street Flat
The Citgo sign tells you there’s about a mile to go as you reach Kenmore Square. You dip under Massachusetts Avenue, turn right on Hereford Street and left on Boylston, and the finish at Copley Square is in sight for the last few hundred yards. It always looks closer than it is.
8:01 /miFinish at 3:30:00
Every mile split for 3:30:00
| Mile | Terrain | Pace /mi | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downhill | 7:48 | 7:48 |
| 2 | Downhill | 7:54 | 15:43 |
| 3 | Downhill | 7:55 | 23:37 |
| 4 | Downhill | 7:53 | 31:30 |
| 5 | Flat | 8:07 | 39:37 |
| 6 | Flat | 7:58 | 47:35 |
| 7 | Flat | 7:58 | 55:34 |
| 8 | Flat | 8:02 | 1:03:36 |
| 9 | Flat | 7:59 | 1:11:35 |
| 10 | Flat | 8:07 | 1:19:42 |
| 11 | Flat | 8:06 | 1:27:48 |
| 12 | Downhill | 7:58 | 1:35:46 |
| 13 | Flat | 8:00 | 1:43:47 |
| 14 | Flat | 8:02 | 1:51:49 |
| 15 | Flat | 8:07 | 1:59:56 |
| 16 | Downhill | 7:50 | 2:07:45 |
| 17 | Rolling | 8:11 | 2:15:56 |
| 18 | Climb | 8:12 | 2:24:08 |
| 19 | Flat | 7:55 | 2:32:03 |
| 20 | Rolling | 8:11 | 2:40:14 |
| 21 | Climb | 8:18 | 2:48:31 |
| 22 | Downhill | 7:53 | 2:56:25 |
| 23 | Downhill | 7:57 | 3:04:22 |
| 24 | Downhill | 7:51 | 3:12:13 |
| 25 | Flat | 8:01 | 3:20:14 |
| 26 | Flat | 8:01 | 3:28:15 |
| Finish | Flat | 8:01 | 3:30:00 |
Lap your watch at each marker; GPS distance drifts over 26.2 miles. Even-pace card for 3:30:00
Race strategy
How to pace the Boston Marathon
Climb by effort in Newton
Expect miles 17 to 21 to come in 10 to 30 seconds slower than goal pace. That’s normal and it’s fine. Runners who hold their pace up the hills usually pay for it on Beacon Street.
Plan for a late start
Your wave may not start until late morning, hours after you wake up. Eat breakfast early, bring a snack for Athletes’ Village, and keep sipping. A 10 a.m. start can be warm by the finish.
The last few weeks
Train for this course
- Run downhill on purpose: a few long runs with sustained descents early, so your quads are ready for Hopkinton and Lower Falls.
- Put hills between miles 16 and 21 of your longest runs, with the last one the hardest, so Heartbreak isn’t the first time you climb tired.
- Rehearse a late-morning start with an early breakfast and a second snack, the way race morning will go.
Race-day weather
Mid-April in New England can be almost anything. Some years start in the 40s°F with a tailwind; 2018 brought cold, driving rain and a headwind; 2012 hit the 80s. The late-morning start means it’s often warmer than you expect by the finish. Check the forecast in race week and adjust your goal.
Race morning
Getting to the start
- Most runners take the official B.A.A. buses from Charles Street, between the Public Garden and Boston Common. Loading times are set by wave.
- Athletes’ Village in Hopkinton is a long wait, and the start is about a 0.7-mile walk from it. Bring throwaway layers; clothes left in Hopkinton are donated.
- Only the small start-area bag you get at bib pickup is allowed on the buses and in Hopkinton. Gear check is in Boston, on Boylston and Berkeley Streets past the finish, before the buses leave.
- Corrals load by wave and bib number. Your corral is printed in the box on your bib.
Questions runners ask.
Is Boston a fast course?
Faster than its reputation in places, slower in others. It drops about 465 feet overall, but most of that is in the first four miles, and the Newton Hills come when you’re tired. Most runners run a few minutes slower here than on a flat course. Because it’s point to point and net downhill, times here aren’t eligible for records.
How do I get into the Boston Marathon?
Most runners qualify with a time from a certified marathon, and the B.A.A. sets a cutoff each year below the published standard depending on demand. The other way in is through an official charity team. Check the B.A.A. site for the current window and standards.
What is the time limit?
There’s no official cutoff time, but roads reopen behind a pace of about 13:44 per mile, and course support closes behind it. The finish area closes around 5:30 p.m.
Where should friends and family watch?
Wellesley around mile 12.5, the Newton Hills from mile 17 to Boston College, and Kenmore Square are the classic spots. Boylston Street near the finish is packed. Use the T, since roads along the course close.
Last checked October 21, 2026. This is an independent guide from Miles. We’re not affiliated with the race organizer. Start times, cutoffs, and logistics can change, so confirm everything on the official race site before race day.
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