[Editor’s Note: This story was put together by Emily Cameron, a photographer and filmmaker drawn to endurance both in the stories she tells and her own lived adventures. Her creative work exists at the intersection of sport and humanity, using movement, landscape, and emotion to showcase what’s at the heart of every event she documents.]
Every human on the start line of the 2026 Boston Marathon had a story of how they arrived at Hopkinton Town Common on the morning of Monday, April 20. Surrounded by people of all ages, running backgrounds, and motivations, Emily Cameron, as she ran her first Boston, set out to learn about her fellow runners’ inspirations.
This was the 130th running of the iconic race, which stretches 26.2 miles through Boston, Massachusetts, and ends on Boylston Street. With more than 30,000 participants — and full community commitment and engagement — the race lights up the streets of “Beantown” on Patriots’ Day every April. While it’s one of the World Marathon Majors and coveted by the elites, one could argue that it’s the rest of the field, and those cheering on the sidelines, that make the event what it is.
Congratulations to everyone who ran the 2026 Boston Marathon! We celebrate you and your stories.
The iconic 2026 Boston Marathon. All photos: Emily Cameron
Bethany Bowman
Bethany Bowman on the bus headed to the 2026 Boston Marathon start line.
Age: 39 | Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Finish Time: 3:34:24
I’ve run 17 marathons, and this will be my seventh Boston. I love running. It was something special between my dad and me. He walked me up and down Boylston Street as a little girl and told me that I was going to run Boston one day. I thought he was crazy. He passed away last year, so this is my first Boston without him.
I was also in an accident seven months ago. I was out running, and a car hit me. I fractured my pelvis in five places, my ankle, and my shoulder. I ended up getting an entirely new pelvis, so I’m grateful to be here to run Boston again.
Right now, when a lot of things are chaotic in the world, it’s so special to be with so many people who are celebrating each other, their wins, and their stories of getting here. I love hearing how people got to this point. I will keep trying to come back to Boston forever, but at the same time, I want to give other people a spot to experience this too. Every runner should experience what Boston is like. There’s something so incredible about the journey of finishing Boston and how it relates to the ups and downs we experience in life.
Bionic Beth’s bib is a tribute to everything she’s overcome.
I am completely bionic in my pelvis. So I have written on my bib “Bionic Bethany,” and then it has references to the accident to show that we can overcome anything. My doctors said it was the fastest recovery that they had ever witnessed. I tried to stay positive throughout the recovery, and my goal of getting back to the Boston finish line got me through it.
Stephen Viegas
Stephen Viegas, at 77 years young, rides the subway to the start of his seventh Boston Marathon.
Age: 77 | Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts | Finish Time: 5:39:15
I’m 77 years old. I started running marathons at 67, 10 years ago. This year’s Boston Marathon will be my 20th marathon since I turned 67, and this will be my seventh Boston. Prior to running marathons, I was an 800-meter runner on the track, which suited my six-foot-two-inch height.
Why Boston? Well, I live in Boston. In 2015, I represented the Road Runners Club of America in Massachusetts, and they asked me to staff a booth at the Boston Marathon Expo. That’s where I got the bug. I thought 67 was pretty old to run my first Boston, but figured I’d run it, enjoy it, and make it a one-time thing. I angled to get into Boston without qualifying, and I did, but then I thought maybe I could actually qualify during Boston and do it year after year. I ended up missing it by two minutes. Later that year, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon, where I qualified, but I didn’t get in because I was four seconds off. I was hooked at that point.
Busses waiting to shuttle runners to the 2026 Boston Marathon start line.
The history of this marathon is incredible. It’s a no-frills marathon. And it’s so competitive. I notice a lot of things because I’m six-foot-two, but if you’ve ever been to the New York City Marathon, you take a coach bus to Staten Island, whereas here, at Boston, you take a school bus all the way up to Hopkinton.
Running means everything to me. I’m relatively healthy at my age. I had a stroke right after last fall’s Chicago Marathon, and I think I survived because of running. Boston is my first race of any kind after my stroke.
Cait Bourgault
Cait Bourgault showing her daughter that anything is possible.
Age: 35 | Hometown: Norway, Maine | Finish Time: 3:08:54
This is my second Boston Marathon. I grew up running cross country, but never thought I would actually run a marathon. I qualified for my first one in 2023, and I feel so grateful to be standing here in 2026. It’s the most historic race in the world, and I made it.
Running keeps me present as a parent. It’s my outlet. It’s another way that I can show my daughter, Fiona, that she can do anything that she sets her mind to. Even at her young age, she ran her first race last year, and it was one of my favorite moments as a parent.
I’m looking forward to a Diet Coke at the end and taking it all in. Last year, I ran way too hard. I had a goal in mind, and when it all went wrong, I basically shut down, so I don’t remember a lot of last year’s race. This year, I want to take in the crowds and remember why I’m here.
Live strong, push strong, run strong.
I love any part of the course where I see someone I know. I had a lot of friends come out last year and see me. How lucky am I to have friends who travel hours to see me for 20 seconds? I love it.
First and foremost, my mantra is, “Fiona, Fiona, Fiona,” for my daughter. Second would be my running idol, a father-like figure in my life named Holy Oak. We always use the phrase, “live strong.” That’s our thing. I am going to live strong, push strong, and run strong.
Brian Stiewing
Brian Stiewing on the bus ride to the start of his fourth Boston Marathon. Photo: Emily Cameron
Age: 52 | Hometown: Shelton, Connecticut | Finish Time: 3:26:56
I am a lifetime runner. I ran high school cross country and continued running afterward. I started running marathons maybe 15 years ago, with my first being the New York City Marathon, which didn’t go so well. I said I’d never do another one, and well, here I am.
Running means so much to me. It helps reduce stress and keeps my mind clear. I try to get a run in almost every day to keep my brain as clear as possible, and it helps me.
Qualifying for Boston was tough. I barely made it in, but this will be my third. I’ve been trying to get in ever since my first marathon. I’ve done 16 marathons in total, and three of them have been Boston. It’s been a long journey, but I keep punching away at it.
The finish line of the 2026 Boston Marathon draws people back year after year.
My other Boston experiences were very hot, so I melted at the end. But the experiences — they’ve all been amazing. The race takes over the city, with runners everywhere. Everyone is here because of the same love for the sport. Even though my other two didn’t go the way I wanted, the experience was still incredible. I hope to come back because I enjoy it every time. It’s getting a little harder to get into, because, as I mentioned, I barely squeezed in this year. I have to up my game if I want to keep coming back, but I am willing to try.
I like to remember to be “smooth and light,” so I keep my form as smooth as possible and stay as light on my feet as I can. I try to remember that throughout the whole race because at the end it’s hard to feel good.
Sara Black
Sara Black looking forward to a good weather year at the 2026 Boston Marathon.
Age: 53 | Hometown: London, U.K. | Finish Time: 3:10:15
This is my fourth Boston. I love it, it’s so iconic. I’ve run about 40 marathons in total, and I can’t stop returning to Boston. I haven’t had the best experiences here — we’ve had bad weather in prior years, and I’ve even ended up with hypothermia — but this year’s weather seems like a blessing for all of us.
Running is everything to me. I’m a mother of three, and I only seriously started running after my youngest, who is 13, was born. I had a running pushchair, and it was the best thing I ever owned. I did so many great runs with my kids. I live near Central London, so I’d push them around Regent’s Park and look at the giraffes, and there were a lot of special moments. Being a mother is challenging because you always want to put your family first, but you also have your own needs, and that’s why I kept running so much.
The running community on full display at the 2026 Boston Marathon.
I love running, meeting new people, and the whole community spirit within the sport. It brings people together. No matter where you’re from, who you are, rich or poor, we’re all in this together. That to me is so, so special. When the world is so fractured, and people can come together over a common interest and passion, it’s a beautiful thing.
I believe Boston is the pinnacle of anyone’s running career. The opportunity to run Boston as a charity runner is, of course, amazing, but it’s so special to hear about someone’s journey to qualifying by time. There is no other race like it, and the crowds and the community support are so good. I keep saying that this is my last Boston, but then I’m here, and I keep thinking about how I can qualify for next year.
Dan Minzner
Dan Minzner and his “Winnie the Pooh” bathrobe.
Age: 58 | Hometown: Asbury Park, New Jersey | Finish Time: 3:07:08
I started running in 1999 with the goal of getting healthier and losing a little weight, but then I caught the running bug. It took me until 2010 to run fast enough to qualify for Boston at the Saint George Marathon. In 2011, I ran my first Boston, and I’ve run it every year since, except for COVID-19 and when I had a major foot surgery. This will be my 12th year.
Last year was my fastest Boston, where I ran a 3:12, and the best part about being back here again is that I get to try to be a little bit better, even though I’m getting older. My son is 23 years younger than I, and he’s gotten quite fast at running. He’s running the Pittsburgh Marathon in two weeks with the goal of qualifying for Boston in 2027, so my goal here is to run a fast enough race that he won’t have to move too far back in the corrals to run with his old man. My daughter also has the running bug, and so does my wife.
Everyone talks about Boston, and it’s the journey to get here that means so much. All the time you put in with the people you train with is what it’s all about. Today is the one thing you can’t control, and it’s awesome to be out here, and hopefully do it one more time next year.
I’ve traveled all over the world to run the World Marathon Majors. I’ve run in 26 states, and this is my 52nd marathon. Boston treats runners like royalty. This whole city is consumed by the race, and that makes it such a special experience.
It’s all about the laugh.
My wife ran the Philadelphia Marathon a number of years ago. I paced her and ended up running the entire thing in a bathrobe to stay warm. At that point, I never saw anyone else in a robe, but now I’m starting to see more. My ritual before these races is to hit up Goodwill and look for the hottest little number I can. This year, it happened to be a “Winnie the Pooh” robe. When people see me, I tell them that I pooh’d myself, and they think it’s hilarious. It’s always about the laugh.
Call for Comments
- Did you run the 2026 Boston Marathon? How did it go?
- If you’ve been involved with the Boston Marathon, what makes it special for you?
