More than 30,000 runners from around the world pounded the pavement from Hopkinton to Copley Square on Monday for the 129th Boston Marathon.
The marathon drew more than an estimated half-million spectators lining the 26.2-mile course, who cheered on runners and rang cowbells as competitors passed through eight cities and towns in Massachusetts.
Matthew Fallon, a Waltham resident, watched from the Fenway area as his friend — Boston University senior Charlie Johnson — ran the course.
“I felt like it was the least I could do to go out there and support him, and when I did see him run by us, it was electric. It was emotional,” Fallon said. “It was just really great to support him.”
Though Fallon had attended the race twice before, he said this year was the first time he felt a “true connection” to it.
“The city really comes together. The weather was so nice, which automatically puts everyone in a great mood,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a great time, but this one was definitely my favorite experience.”
Mia Hand, a junior at BU, watched the race from Coolidge Corner. She said she has attended the race each of the last three years.
“It was a really beautiful day, and I think I was inspired to keep going because of my previous experiences going every year,” she said. “I come out with a renewed appreciation for the city and the sports spirit it has, because it’s a really sports-centered city, and I feel really excited to be a member of the Boston community.”
As spectators cheered from the sidelines, runners delivered a memorable performance in one of the world’s most prestigious races.
John Korir of Kenya won the professional men’s division, joining his brother, Wesley Korir — the 2012 champion — in the Boston record books.
Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania and Cybrian Kotut of Kenya crossed the finish line in a dead heat to tie for second place.
In the women’s division, Sharon Lokedi of Kenya broke the course record, finishing just ahead of defending champion Hellen Obiri, who claimed second.
Hand said watching the women’s division was especially exciting as the runners began to close the gap on the men’s field, which had started earlier.
“Some of the women were starting to creep up, so that was exciting to see, some of the fastest women in the western hemisphere,” she said.
Wesley Choi, a BU sophomore, watched from near the finish line on Boylston Street and said he was amazed by the elite athletes’ performances.
“I ran cross country in high school, so watching them cross these insane barriers was really impressive,” he said.
This year also marked the 50th anniversary of the official wheelchair division. Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won his eighth Boston title, finishing more than four minutes ahead of American Daniel Romanchuk. In the women’s wheelchair race, American Susannah Scaroni claimed her second title.
Choi said he found the wheelchair races especially inspiring.
“Every runner in the marathon is incredibly strong and incredibly good athletes, but I think the athletes with additional challenges are the most impressive,” he said. “The wheelchair division, I always find that race amazing, because I don’t even know how I would steer with that, and they’re able to do it for 26 miles as fast as possible without fail.”
Mayor Michelle Wu crowned the champions in a celebratory conclusion to the race.
Choi, who watched from Kenmore Square last year, said the finish line experience this year brought a new level of excitement.
“This time, I wanted to see the crowds of people, and watching all those crowds of people at the finish line, especially on Newbury Street, was really awesome,” Choi said. “Everyone is cheering for every runner under the sun.”
After the race, Fallon headed to The Black Rose, an Irish pub nearby Faneuil Hall, where he met several runners who had just completed the course.
“They were all just in such high spirits,” he said. “You had to go up and talk to them and congratulate them for accomplishing that huge milestone.”
Beyond the times and titles, the day resonated with deeper meaning — one that spoke to the identity and spirit of the city itself.
“It’s the time for Boston to come together as an entire city, even Massachusetts as a state to some extent, to really recognize that this is what being a Bostonian is,” Choi said. “It’s about community. It’s about the people.”
For Fallon, the marathon carried emotional weight — not just as a display of athleticism, but as a symbol of resilience in the years following the 2013 bombing.
“It’s such a great example of how everyone can come together and root for one thing and one thing only,” Fallon said. “It’s so exciting and a massive accomplishment that maybe someday I would like to do.”
Associate City Editor Charlie Johnson ran in the marathon Monday. He was not involved in the writing, reporting or editing of this article.
