The Boston Marathon (or “MarMon”) is fast approaching. This historic event has a place for everyone. While most of us at BU will be lining the streets to celebrate, thousands of runners have spent months training for these 26.2 miles. Some have qualified for their age group, others have raised money for charity, and a select few are professional athletes.
The marathon boasts professional fields in the men’s and women’s open, wheelchair, and para-athlete divisions. The professional starts will be staggered, with wheelchairs starting at 9:06 a.m., before the rest of the racers.
As an Abbott World Marathon Major, the Boston Marathon is one of the largest and most prestigious in the world. It also means that it attracts an exciting pro field each year, with this year being no different. The open division winners will receive $150,000, and the top 10 will all receive prize money. Additionally, there is a course record bonus of $50,000 in both the open and wheelchair divisions. Money aside, in my opinion, the Boston Marathon is one of the few times that some of these professional runners get the love they deserve.
Below are four of the professional women racing to win this MarMon!
- Kiera D’Amato (USA)
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Kiera D’Amato is a fun one to watch! She ran professionally after college for a while, but after suffering an injury, she turned her attention to starting a family and becoming a real estate agent. It wasn’t until eight years later that she signed up for her first marathon on a whim. Since then, D’Amato broke the American record in the marathon in 2022 (it has since been broken again) with a time of 2:19:12 and signed professionally with Nike.
She is originally from Richmond, Virginia, but over the last year, she and her family moved to Utah to train at altitude with coach Ed Eyestone, known for coaching the BYU men’s track and cross-country team and 2024 Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young. She raced the 2024 Chicago Marathon in the fall, but an injury led her to drop out midway through. The Boston Marathon will be her first real chance to showcase the fitness she regained with her new training regimen.
- Hellen Obiri (Kenya)
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Hellen Obiri has quite the resume. Not only did she win the Boston Marathon in both 2023 and 2024, but she also won the New York City Marathon in 2023 and won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite being one of the most decorated athletes in the field, however, she is ranked 11th in terms of personal best time. This is because courses (and races) like NYC, Boston, and Paris are hilly and tactical. Unlike everyone ranked above her, Obiri’s personal best time was run at the 2023 Boston Marathon.
Most others have PR’s from flat and fast courses and may have had the assistance of a pacer (which the Boston Marathon does not allow on course). Regardless of time, Obiri has shown time and time again that she can compete, and now she’s racing for the three-peat.
- Susannah Scaroni (USA)
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Susannah Scaroni is the top-ranked woman in the wheelchair division. She won the Boston Marathon in 2023 and has won a whopping seven marathons in total. She was forced to withdraw from last year’s Boston Marathon due to an injury but has since competed in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and won four medals in the T54 category: silver in the 5000 meters, bronze in the 1500 meters, 800 meters, and marathon.
After missing the Boston Marathon last year, Scaroni will be doubling up. Just six days later, she will line up for the London Marathon as well—another Abbott World Major. Hopefully, her prior experiences have prepared her for the tight turnaround, and she probably has an edge on her competition when it comes to fueling; Scaroni became a registered dietitian in 2023.
- Desiree Linden (USA)
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Few people love racing the Boston Marathon as much as Desiree (Des) Linden, and for good reason. In 2018, a year otherwise known for wind and a downpour, she won the race! Linden was the first American woman to do this since 1985, and no other American has won since. She has become somewhat of a regular at the Boston Marathon, and the 2025 race will be her 12th appearance. Unlike many athletes, who begin marathoning after a career on the track, Linden ran her first marathon just two years out of college and is still running professionally at age 41! Despite being older than many of her direct competitors, she is still in the mix at most major races and usually aims to break into the top 10.
Whether they are trying to win like these women or crossing the finish line at dusk, the coolest thing about a marathon is that everyone is running the same 26.2 miles, and they all deserve our support!
Hope to see you at MarMon! :)
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