Boston Marathon records

John Korir turned the 2026 Boston Marathon into its fastest day ever, breaking the men’s course record in 2:01:52 on April 20. (baa.org) The Boston Athletic Association said Korir’s time cut 70 seconds off Geoffrey Mutai’s 2:03:02 mark from 2011. Runner-up Alphonce Felix Simbu finished in 2:02:47 and third-place Benson Kipruto in 2:02:50, both also under the old record. (baa.org) On the women’s side, Sharon Lokedi won in 2:18:51, while American Jess McClain ran 2:20:49 for fifth place. Outside said McClain’s time was 1 minute 13 seconds faster than any American woman had previously run from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. (baa.org) (outsideonline.com) The speed was not limited to the winners. Outside reported 609 women broke three hours, up from the previous record of 385 in 2025, and called April 20 the fastest Marathon Monday in the race’s 130-year history. (outsideonline.com) Race-day conditions help explain the times. The Boston Athletic Association listed a 45-degree Fahrenheit start with a slight tailwind, and Outside reported temperatures in the 40s with a tailwind near double digits. (baa.org) (outsideonline.com) The field was also unusually deep before the gun went off. The Boston Athletic Association said the men’s professional race included 25 entrants with sub-2:07 personal bests, and the women’s field included 13 American women under 2:26. (baa.org 1) (baa.org 2) Boston’s course records are treated differently from world records because the race is point-to-point and net downhill, but the marks still carry weight inside the sport because the course is usually tactical and weather-dependent. Outside noted that days like April 20, 2026 are rare in Boston, with comparable conditions not seen there since 2011. (outsideonline.com) (baa.org) The race also produced one of the week’s most-shared images near the finish. The Associated Press reported that Robson De Oliveira of Brazil and Aaron Beggs of Britain stopped to help Ajay Haridasse after his legs gave out, carrying him roughly 1,000 feet to the line. (apnews.com) So the 130th Boston Marathon will be remembered for two sets of numbers at once: 2:01:52 at the front, and the final 1,000 feet where three exhausted runners reached Boylston Street together. (baa.org) (apnews.com)