Boston Marathon 2015: TV Coverage, Live Stream Schedule and Route Info
Monday, April 20, marks the 119th edition of the famous Boston Marathon, a globally recognized event that holds a cultural cache well beyond the world of long-distance running.
Over 30,000 runners from all over the world will pound the pavement on Monday, which also happens to be Patriots' Day, a civic holiday in Massachusetts—and recognized on some level in a few other states—honoring the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first of the Revolutionary War.
For those in far-away regions of the country who want to check out the action, or are perhaps curious of the exact route of this 26.2-mile journey, here's the television, live stream and route info for Marathon Monday.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
TV, Live Stream Schedule
Local Time (ET): 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Network: WBZ-TV
National Time (ET): 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
TV: Universal Sports Network
Live Stream: UniversalSports.com or WatchLive.BAA.org (starting at 9:30 a.m. ET.)
Route Info
Although the marathon bears the name of the great city of Boston, Beantown is actually where the race ends, not begins.
The starting line can be found in the small town of Hopkinton, west of Boston. From there, runners wind their way through eastern Massachusetts before finishing up the race in the famous Copley Square. MassLive.com's Seth Roberts noted some of the course highlights:
"The halfway point at Wellesley College, where the runners are greeted by thousands of cheering Wellesley students; Heartbreak Hill, which is actually four hills in Newton lined with screaming spectators, ending just before mile 22; and Kenmore Square, where runners and spectators feel the euphoria of the upcoming finish line.
"
After that, runners can make their way over to the official post-race party, to be held at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have an early home game against the Baltimore Orioles on Marathon Monday.
Hopefully, for the Boston Marathon's sake, there's no extra-innings marathon like the one the Red Sox had with the New York Yankees earlier in the season.
Note: A course map can be found here.
Preview
| Mobility Impaired | 8:50 a.m. |
| Push-Rim Wheelchair | 9:17 a.m. |
| Handcycle | 9:22 a.m. |
| Elite Women's | 9:32 a.m. |
| Elite Men's and Wave One | 10:00 a.m. |
| Wave Two | 10:25 a.m. |
| Wave Three | 10:50 a.m. |
| Wave Four | 11:15 a.m. |
Meb Keflezighi returns to Massachusetts to defend his emotional 2014 victory. The Eritrean-born, San Diego man became the first American male to win the Boston Marathon since 1983, and he did so one year after the bombings. He finished the race in two hours, eight minutes and 37 seconds.
Keflezighi, who also won the 2009 New York Marathon and has a silver medal from the 2004 Olympics, is well aware of his lofty status headed into this year's run.
“When I won New York, I became famous, but when I won Boston, I became a celebrity,” Keflezighi said Sunday, via Lindsay Crouse of The New York Times. “I heard someone call me a patron saint of running. I don’t know about that, but I run from my heart, and for everyone else out here.”
Keflezighi will no doubt be a crowd favorite, but he will face stiff challenges this year from Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa and Kenya's Patrick Makau, among others.
The women's side is guaranteed to see a new champion this year. Last year's winner, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, is currently serving a two-year suspension for a positive drug test. While her now-dubious course record of 2:18:57 is unlikely to fall—part of the reason being likely inclement weather—there should be a roaring good competition for the top spot.
For those looking for an American to capture the women's title, Shalane Flanagan appears to be a pre-race favorite.
WBUR.org's Alex Ashlock provided some background for Flanagan's run last year and her status as a local favorite:
"American Shalane Flanagan, who deserves credit for setting the pace for most of last year’s race, says she does not consider Jeptoo’s time of 2:18:57 to be the real course record, given the positive drug test.
Flanagan is the hometown favorite, having grown up in Marblehead. She used to watch her dad run the race and says, “This is where I was inspired to run.” Flanagan takes her experience into this year’s race, after finishing seventh in a personal best time of 2:22:02 last year. She was also fourth in 2013.
"
Her top competitors figure to be Ethiopia's Buzunesh Nebi and Mare Dibaba, who finished in second and third place, respectively, at last year's Boston Marathon.
Don't expect anyone to set a particularly blistering pace this year. There is rain, wind and gloom in the forecast. CBS Boston (WBZ-TV) has more:
"Temperatures will be around 40 at the start in Hopkinton, peaking in the mid-40’s later in the race. But the rain will get heavier into the afternoon. Runners will also be heading into the wind, with gusts coming from the east at 15-to-35 miles per hour.
"
CBS Boston also notes the racing crowd will be a bit thinner this year. They note approximately 30,000 runners will set foot from Hopkinton this year. Last year brought 36,000 to the race.
Although most across the country will be, no doubt, waiting on the results of the elite runners, it should be noted that marathons are first and foremost celebrations of endurance, both physical and mental. Few sporting events so seamlessly integrate elite athletic competition, civic pride and the opportunity for thousands of regular, everyday people to achieve personal milestones.
The Boston Marathon is one of the best out there at displaying the importance of these events, and not even a little bit of rain should be able to put a damper on what is likely to be another heartwarming, patriotic and of course, exhausting, edition of the race.
Race information courtesy of BAA.org, unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
