The Boston Marathon is a marathon many runners dream of qualifying for, one of the Majors and likely the marathon with the most renowned hill, Heartbreak Hill.
Our guide colleagues Jose (Chicago), Emily (NYC) and Alan (Montreal) all ran the Boston Marathon 2026, and while Emily was smiling the whole way, Jose was in pain and Alan cruised through his 8th Boston with his mantra, “enjoyment first, performance second”.
With sore legs and endorphins still flowing, they joined me on Go! Running Talks to share their Boston Marathon stories: from training and race-day highs to the lows, lessons learned and their best advice.
Favourite quotes:
“Only in Boston does a 3:17 get you back of the pack.”” – Emily
“It’s like Gollum in Lord of the Rings: The bad Gollum says, ‘Why the hell did I sign up for this?’ The good Gollum says, ‘In two hours, you’ll be having a beer.” – Alan
“Running Boston is simple: You can either stop or you can keep going.” – Jose
Advice: Break Boston into three sections:
- The early miles: Alan describes the early downhill as a gift but also a trap, as many start too fast (Jose nodded in painful agreement).
- The hills: The Newton Hills are not impossible individually. The challenge is where they come in the race, when fatigue has already built up. “Reach Newton with mental strength and some starch in your legs.”
- Final push to Boylston Street: Push and enjoy!
Quick tips:
- Hill training is a must, and a pro tip is to truly train the downhill running, as your quads will otherwise scream at you for much of the race.
- Put your name on your bib, as you will feel like a celebrity as the crowd shouts your name.
- Let the training decide the race plan, not the ego.
I hope the talk will make you smile and laugh, will be an inspiration and will give a glimpse under the hood of Go! Running Tours and the very accomplished runners that in the team.
Want to hear the full story of Emily’s PR sprint, Alan’s survival of the wettest Boston ever, and the epic 1936 rivalry that gave “Heartbreak Hill” its name? Listen to the full episode of Go! Running Talks, it’s the perfect companion for your next long run or commute.
April 2026 – From the engine room:
- We launched Zurich as our destination, and I am excited to see this city develop. Our Lead Guide in Zurich is Carolin, and she is a fun, kind and accomplished runner with heaps of knowledge of Zurich. You’ll be in the best hands on our tours in Zurich.
- Our team in Boston and London had the pleasure of guiding the Gold Club members of the Abbott World Marathon Majors on guided runs of their cities leading up to the marathons. Personally, I still take profound pleasure in working with the Majors, as it is, of course, a highly recognised brand, but most importantly, the team is incredibly nice to work with.
- In Florence, Lapo celebrated 9 years with Go! Running Tours, and he is quickly approaching his 1000th guest. Watch this space for more on this fantastic milestone!
