Today is that great day known in some states as “Patriots’ Day” or “Patriot’s Day” that is commemorated for the first battles of the Revolutionary War. However, it is more widely known by runners around the world as the day of the 2018 Boston Marathon!
2019 Boston Marathon: To track the 2019 Boston Marathon, Click Here!
The Boston Marathon is easily one of the top goals of many marathoner all over (including mine!). This race is legendary and there have been many greats who have run the same steps that over 30,000 runners will be running today. Do you have a friend or loved one running the 2018 Boston Marathon? Or, maybe you are like me and just love watching this incredible race! Either way, here is how you can track and watch the 2018 Boston Marathon!
You will want to watch the 2018 Boston Marathon as this could be a great year for American runners, especially in the women’s race! It could just be the year that an American woman takes first place!
How to Track & Watch the 2018 Boston Marathon
Here is a run-down on the schedule of events for the 2018 Boston Marathon:
- Mobility Impaired – 8:40 am
- Men’s Push Rim Wheelchair – 9:02 am
- Women’s Push Rim Wheelchair – 9:04 am
- Handcycles – 9:25 am
- Elite Women – 9:32 am
- Elite Men and Wave One – 10:00 am
- Wave Two – 10:25 am
- Wave Three – 10:50 am
- Wave Four – 11:15 am
As you can see, there is a total of 2 hours and 25 minutes separating the starting gun for the very first group of entrants until the last, which is Wave Four. From the start of the main field until the last wave, there is a difference of 1 hour and 15 minutes. If there is a particular marathoner you wanted to track, it will help to know which wave they are in.
This is the breakdown of waves by bib number:
- Wave 1 – 101 – 7,700
- Wave 2 – 8,000 – 15,600
- Wave 3 – 16,000 – 23,600
- Wave 4 – 24,000 – 32,500
Tracking Runners
The Boston Athletic Association has you covered when it comes to keeping an eye on either the elite runners or your friends and family that are running. There is a map available that will show you their progress along the course – found here.
In addition, you can also set up a list of your favorite runners and it will update throughout the race as the runners reach each 5K split. You can add runners and set that up here.
This is a great way to see all of the runners on one page. Just remember as you watch it, there may be a delay depending the different waves that your runners are starting in.
You can also download the Boston Marathon app for iOS or Android from this page.
Watching the 2018 Boston Marathon Online
Again this year, you can actually watch the Boston Marathon live. I realize not everyone may find this as fun, but I love watching marathons! It is always neat to see how the various elites handle the course, each other, weather, etc. If you do not want to watch the whole marathon, turning it anytime after the halfway point should bring you up to date while still yielding exciting breaks.
To watch it live, click here or here.
Finish Line Cam
Finally, what if you want to watch your friends come in? Check out this finish line camera! This way, you can watch them cross that line and feel the excitement with you. This link will take you to that cam.
Watch the 2018 Boston Marathon From Abroad
Per BAA, here is a list of international stations that will be carrying the 2018 Boston Marathon:
- Pan-Africa – Kwese Sports, Supersport SA
- Pan-Europe (Excluding U.K., Lithuania, Sweden): Olympic Channel
- Pan-Asia (Excluding China, Malaysia): Olympic Channel
- Brazil — Globosat
- Canada – TSN2
- China – regional TV platforms, including BesTV, China Mobile Migu, Tianjin IPTV
- Japan – Olympic Channel
- South America (ex. Brazil) – ESPN Sur
- Lithuania – Sport 1
- Malaysia – Astro
- Sweden – Sportlib
- UK – BBC (digital)
- Worldwide News Access: SNTV
- Worldwide News Access: Global Eagle
Weather
As you would expect from a marathon in April in the northeast, the weather here wildly varied over the years. For today, it looks like it will be a true test for all the runners on the course. Temperatures are supposed to be in the mid-40s with rain and strong winds. It will definitely be a difficult day for a race yet, except for the wind, these conditions are ones I prefer to race in because you can really push yourself when you see others struggling in the conditions.
No matter what, it is still the Boston Marathon and something to be celebrated if you or a loved one are hitting the streets for that legendary finish line!
Takeaway
The Boston Marathon is a big deal! It is a dream of just about every marathoner to one day qualify and run there. If you are not there, at least you can watch the Boston Marathon! I know I will be and will be cheering my friends on who are running there.
Good luck to all of you 2018 Boston Marathon runners!
Featured image by Marcio Jose Bastos Silva courtesy of Shutterstock
*Note: I am away from my computer today so I apologize in advance if there is a problem with one of the links!
