Boston Marathon week update

Boston Marathon week is taking shape around two early signals: a ceremonial nod to the race’s past and a forecast that, for now, looks favorable for runners on Monday, April 20. (baa.org) The Boston Athletic Association named 1976 champion Jack Fultz as grand marshal for the 130th running, which starts in Hopkinton and finishes on Boylston Street in Boston. Fultz won the 1976 race in 2:20:19 during the “Run for the Hoses,” a year remembered for near-100-degree heat. (baa.org; wcvb.com) Race organizers say 32,494 participants are entered and about 30,000 are expected to start, with runners from 137 countries and all 50 states. The Boston Athletic Association also says more than 10,000 volunteers, including 1,800 medical volunteers, will work race day. (baa.org) This year’s field is also unusually stable at the top: all four 2025 champions are scheduled to return. That includes John Korir and Sharon Lokedi in the open divisions, plus Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni in the wheelchair races. (bostonglobe.com; worldmarathonmajors.com) The race itself will look different before the gun. The Boston Athletic Association shifted from four start waves to six in 2026, while keeping the finish-line closing time at 5:30 p.m. (baa.org) Boston.com’s race guide says Wave 1 buses from Boston begin loading at 6:45 a.m., Waves 2 and 3 at 7:30 a.m., Waves 4 and 5 at 8 a.m., and Wave 6 at 9 a.m. The last official bus to the start leaves at 9:30 a.m. (boston.com) The early weather outlook is another reason this week’s update matters. The Boston Globe reported Monday that race-day temperatures were trending about 5 to 15 degrees below normal for mid-April, with a cool and mostly dry setup. (bostonglobe.com) That forecast is still a week out, and local forecasts have shifted in recent days, but other outlets are also pointing to a moderate range rather than heat. Metrowest Daily News reported an early outlook near 55 to 60 degrees, and race-specific forecast services have shown a start in the 40s with a high near 60. (metrowestdailynews.com; racecast.io) Boston’s course still brings the same fixed demands. Runners cover 26.2 miles through Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and Boston, including the Newton Hills before the final turn onto Boylston Street. (boston.com) A week before Patriots’ Day, the picture is clearer than the final outcome: a full international field, a six-wave start, Jack Fultz back in a lead ceremonial role, and a forecast that currently points away from the kind of heat that defined his own Boston victory 50 years ago. (baa.org; wcvb.com; bostonglobe.com)