Will Eliud Kipchoghe run another world record in Boston this year? There is only one way to find out: by watching the 127th Boston Marathon live! Here's how to do it.
Fans of long-distance running are in for a treat this April, as not only do they get to witness world record holder Eliud Kipchoge run Boston for the first time ever, but on Sunday, we also get to watch another World Marathon major: the London Marathon 2023. Of course, there will be many other amazing pro runners present in Boston apart from the G.O.A.T. Eliud, such as Valencia Marathon 2022 winner Amane Beriso and Chicago Marathon 2022 winner Benson Kipruto.
We can only hope the weather gods will be kind to the runners on the day; currently, rain and showers are expected for the big day (Monday) with 74% humidity and 14 mph winds. Ouch. There is hope some of that wind will be tailwind and not all headwind.
We're sure you'll be inspired to take up running after watching the Boston Marathon 2023, so make sure you check out T3's best running shoes and best women's running shoe roundups. We also have a guide for the best running headphones and the best running watches – essential running gear for training and racing.
Anyway, back to how to watch the 127th Boston Marathon. There are various free options, and if you can't access them the usual way, you can use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions.
What time does the Boston Marathon 2023 start?
The Boston Marathon 2023 takes place on Monday, 17 April 2023. The starting times are as follows:
- Wheelchair (Men's): 9:02 AM ET/6:02 AM PT/1:02 PM GMT/3:02 PM CET
- Wheelchair (Women's): 9:05 AM ET/6:05 AM PT/1:05 AM GMT/3:05 PM CET
- Professional (Men): 9:37 AM ET/6:37 AM PT/1:37 PM GMT/3:37 PM CET
- Professional (Women): 9:47 AM ET/6:47 AM PT/1:47 AM GMT/3:47 PM CET
- Runners (in four waves): From 10 AM ET/ 7 AM PT/2 PM GMT/4 PM CET
The Boston Marathon is the oldest of the six marathon majors and has strict entry criteria, meaning only the fastest marathon runners will be able to even apply for the race. The qualifying window for the 2023 Boston Marathon is open from 1 September 1 through 16 September 16 2022, within which time every runner must run an official marathon time below the qualifying limit. Currently, this limit is three hours for men and three and a half hours for women between the ages of 18-34.
More info on start times can be found here(links to the Boston Marathon website).
How to follow the Boston Marathon 2023 if you're in the US
If you live in the Boston area, you can follow live coverage of the 127th Boston Marathon on WCVB (Channel 5) beginning at 4:00 a.m. ET through 8:00 p.m. ET. WCVB and all of its television partners will also provide coverage of the marathon on their digital platforms and mobile apps.
The rest of the country will be able to tune in via ESPN, which will broadcast the Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on Monday, April 17, 2023, on its flagship channel from 8:30 a.m. ET until 1:00 p.m. ET. In addition, ESPN will also have coverage of the race within SportsCenter before the live coverage and later in the day, as well as coverage appearing on other ESPN shows and platforms.
How to watch the Boston Marathon 2023 from anywhere else in the world
If you live anywhere else in the world or are out of the US on holiday or business, you can still get access to the live stream - simply use the best VPN around to get past those geo-restrictions. A streaming VPN is a very handy thing, as it means you can hop on a server within the US, UK or anywhere else, and it will switch your IP address to make it appear as if you're browsing right from the comfort of your own home.
- VPN - standing for virtual private network - offers security and anonymity as you browse online, using set protocols to encrypt your data and make it unreadable to outsiders.
- As a part of that, you can also switch your IP address, which identifies your location.
- Most VPNs offer a list of locations where their servers are based to join. Connecting to them switches your IP to appear as if you're browsing from that country/city. In turn, you can then access content locked to that country.
- When it comes to finding a VPN, you should make sure you find the best one that's suitable for your chosen device, with VPN providers offering compatibility for a ton of devices, including VPN for Mac and even a range of fairly nifty free VPNs.
- Once you've made the decision for the most suitable VPN for your device and your means for using a VPN, sign-up and install it.
- To live stream Wimbledon 2022, all you need to do is select a UK server from its list of available servers and connect. You'll then be able to hop over those geo-restrictions, with the likes of BBC iPlayer opening its online gates to you.
- We also want to ensure your money is well spent, so we would recommend going for a VPN that offers a risk-free trial. ExpressVPN is one of many providers that has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- New to VPN? Find out how to use a VPN to unblock geo-restrictions
