The 118th running of the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest annual marathon, is set for its traditional Patriots’ Day start Monday.
Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com will provide TV and online coverage of the 26.2-mile race that begins in Hopkinton and weaves through six more cities and towns before reaching and finishing in Boston on Boylston Street.
This year’s race has added significance given the twin bombings that rocked the 2013 Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 260. The field, some 36,000 runners, is about 9,000 more than in recent years and accommodates more than 5,000 entrants who ran last year but couldn’t finish due to the bombings.
Increased security includes over 3,000 uniformed police officers and National Guard soldiers along the course, up to 500 plain clothes officers in the crowd, 100 video cameras and emergency operation centers in all eight cities and towns.
The Boston Athletic Association is prepared for one million spectators, double the usual amount.
Boston Marathon Race Previews: Men | Women
The race schedule (all times Eastern):
8:50 a.m. -- Mobility impaired
9:17 a.m. -- Wheelchair
9:22 a.m. -- Handcycle
9:32 a.m. -- Elite women
10 a.m. -- Elite men and Wave 1
10:25 a.m. -- Wave 2
11 a.m. -- Wave 3
11:25 a.m. -- Wave 4
Universal Sports TV schedule:
Saturday, 4-6 p.m. -- Pre-race show
Monday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. -- Live race day coverage
Monday, 4-5 p.m. -- Race recap
Monday, 8, 11 p.m. -- Encore race day coverage
Universal Sports is on a free nationwide preview on all of its distribution partners through Monday.
Four-time Olympic medalist returns to run Boston Marathon again