Boston Marathon build‑up
Local reporting says entrants are ready for the 130th Boston Marathon, which is scheduled a week from Monday, and profiles highlighted runners marking long streaks and charity causes. (lowellsun.com) (wcvb.com)
The 130th Boston Marathon is set for Monday, April 20, with local runners across Massachusetts entering the final week of training. (baa.org) The Boston Athletic Association said 32,494 participants are entered for the 2026 race, with about 30,000 expected to start from Hopkinton and run to Boston. The field includes runners from all 50 states, 137 countries, and 4,698 Massachusetts residents. (rrm.com) The race remains both an elite event and a local ritual. The Boston Athletic Association said more than 24,000 qualified athletes were accepted into this year’s field, while hundreds more are running through charity entries. (rrm.com) That mix shows up in this year’s local coverage. The Lowell Sun reported on area entrants pushing through a harsh winter to get ready for race day, while WCVB profiled four Methuen runners who are taking on the course after cancer diagnoses and treatment. (lowellsun.com) (wcvb.com) WCVB identified the four Methuen runners as members of the same running club, and said two of them, Palmer and Zappala, are set to run their 25th consecutive Boston Marathon. The station said the group turned shared treatment and recovery into a joint marathon goal. (wcvb.com) Charity running remains a major part of the event’s scale. The Boston Athletic Association said 193 organizations were selected for the 2026 Official Charity Program, after the 2025 program raised a record $50.4 million and the broader marathon charity effort topped $600 million since 1989. (rrm.com) The marathon’s footprint reaches beyond the runners. The Boston Athletic Association said more than 10,000 volunteers, including 1,800 medical volunteers, are assigned for race operations across the route and finish area. (rrm.com) Race week is already taking shape around Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts, with the Boston Athletic Association publishing event schedules and final logistics ahead of the April 20 start. For local entrants, the last week is now less about adding miles than arriving healthy on the starting line in Hopkinton. (baa.org)
