Monday marks the 129th Boston Marathon — and as runners prepare for the 26-mile trek from Boston’s suburbs to the city’s heart, police in the state are ensuring safety precautions are in place ahead of the big race.
More than 30,000 runners from around the world will be stepping off in just a few hours to run the infamously challenging marathon from Hopkinton to Copley Square.
Police will be running checkpoints and bag check stations along the race route, which spans eight cities and towns.
Massachusetts State Police, as well as local officials, will have officers patrolling the area to look out for any suspicious activity. Some will be undercover. FBI officials have said there is no reason to believe this event will be targeted.
“Troopers from every corner of the state will be here along the course to ensure that athletes and spectators can enjoy the day safely,” Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said. “K-9 teams and other specialized teams will continuously sweep the site and the air wing will patrol the sky above.”
There are several items that spectators are warned not to bring, including backpacks, coolers, weapons, fireworks, costumes, inflatable items, bicycles, strollers, scooters and drones.
Here are the start times of the various divisions:
- 9:06 a.m. — Men’s Wheelchair
- 9:09 a.m. — Women’s Wheelchair
- 9:03 a.m. — Handcycle & Duos
- 9:37 a.m. — Professional Men
- 9:47 a.m. — Professional Women
- 9:50 a.m. — Para Athletics Division
- 10 a.m. — Wave 1
- 10:25 a.m. — Wave 2
- 10:50 a.m. — Wave 3
- 11:15 a.m. — Wave 4
There are a number of changes to MBTA train and bus services Monday due to the marathon — notably, Copley Station will be closed all day.
