Boston Marathon 2016: Route, Course Map, Times, Road Closures and Event Details

There is a spring tradition in Boston that is just as big as Red Sox baseball, and it comes on Patriot's Day, the third Monday in April. 

The Boston Marathon has been run since 1897, the world's oldest annual marathon, and has become a staple in Massachusetts. 

While it gives Bostonians an opportunity to come together and celebrate, it also provides a stiff test for some of the best distance runners in the world. 

For the full course layout, click here. 

There will be nine different starting times for the thousands of runners participating:

Division	Time (ET)
Mobility Impaired	8:50 a.m.
Men's Push-Rim Wheelchair	9:17 a.m.
Women's Push-Rim Wheelchair	9:19 a.m.
Handcycles & Duos	9:22 a.m.
Elite Women	9:32 a.m.
Elite Men & Wave One	10 a.m.
Wave Two	10:25 a.m.
Wave Three	10:50 a.m.
Wave Four	11:15 a.m.

With such a huge event spanning multiple towns, there will be some road closures:

Location	Time of Closure
Hopkinton	7:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Ashland	7:15 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Framingham	8:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Natick	8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Wellesley	8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Newton	8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Brookline	9:15 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Boston	Variable - 6:30 p.m.

For folks who can't make it to the route to watch the marathon, WatchLive.BAA.org will be live-streaming the entire race. WBZ-TV will provide live local coverage from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while NBC Sports will provide live national coverage from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. 

The marathon will have a hefty purse of $18.2 million that will be split among the top runners. The men's and women's winners of the open division will take home the largest prize of $150,000. 

The defending champions in the elite division will be running in Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and Caroline Rotich of Kenya. 

They will be the two runners to keep an eye on as Boston comes together once again to celebrate its rich tradition.