Follow along with live updates from the 2025 Boston Marathon
Thousands of fans will pack the roads from Hopkinton to Copley Square to catch a glimpse of the historic Boston Marathon on Monday, but if crowds and noise aren’t your speed, you’ve got plenty of options to spectate from your couch.
Here’s how to avoid the traffic and take in the sights from the comfort of your home.
How to watch the 2025 Boston Marathon on TV
Ch. 5 in Boston (WCVB) is covering the race for the third year, while ESPN will handle the national broadcast.
Ch. 5’s coverage will begin and 4 a.m. and continue all day.
National coverage of the elite races will begin on ESPN2 at 9 a.m. and run until 12:30 p.m. The race will also simulcast on ESPN+ from 4 a.m. until 8 p.m.
ESPN host and “SportsCenter” anchor Hannah Storm and running commentator John Anderson will join the crew of announcers and analysts from WCVB on the race call from Boston.
Anderson will call the race from the finish-line bridge, and he will be joined by analysts including 2014 champion Meb Keflezighi, former professional American distance runner and Olympian Carrie Tollefson, and Amanda McGrory, Paralympic medalist and Boston Marathon wheelchair division podium finisher.
Storm will be covering the race with WCVB anchors Ed Harding and Maria Stephanos.
WCVB sports anchor Duke Castiglione will be stationed at the finish line.
Matt James, a former contestant on reality TV show “The Bachelor” will join the broadcast from the field. James will run the his second Boston Marathon while capturing live content during the race to give fans a first-person look at the course.
How to live stream the Boston Marathon
Ch. 5 will offer race coverage streaming on their mobile app, Very Local Boston, which is free and available on smartphones and tablets.
You can also watch on ESPN’s streaming platforms.
2025 Boston Marathon start times
The race will follow its typical wave-start format, beginning with the men’s wheelchair division at 9:06 a.m. Preceding the race start will be the military marchers — members of the Massachusetts National Guard — who will begin their trek from the start line at 6 a.m. Here’s the full lineup:
9:06 a.m.: Men’s wheelchair
9:09 a.m.: Women’s wheelchair
9:30 a.m.: Handcycles and duos
9:37 a.m.: Elite men
9:47 a.m.: Elite women
9:50 a.m.: Para athletics divisions
10:00 a.m.: Wave 1
10:25 a.m.: Wave 2
10:50 a.m.: Wave 3
11:15 a.m.: Wave 4
Emma Healy can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @ByEmmaHealy.