Boston Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
Run from Hopkinton to Copley Square since 1897, the world's oldest annual marathon. The point-to-point course is net-downhill 137 m but punishes a hot start: the Newton hills, capped by Heartbreak Hill at km 32, await anyone who flew through the early miles.
The Boston Marathon is a challenging course with meaningful climbs — rated 4/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 770 ft (240 m) and loses 1230 ft (370 m), with a net drop of 138 m (453 ft). Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 33 (near mile 20.5), demanding about 9% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 5.6%. The Newton Hills run from mile 16 to 21 (km 25.7–33.5) and climb 190 ft (60 m) over 7.8 km at an average 0.7% — about 5% more effort than the same ground run flat. Heartbreak Hill runs from mile 20 to 21 (km 32.2–33.5) and climbs 90 ft (30 m) over 1.3 km at an average 2.2% — about 13% more effort than the same ground run flat.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Boston, MA, USA |
| Total ascent | 770 ft (240 m) |
| Total descent | 1230 ft (370 m) |
| Net elevation | -453 ft (-138 m) |
| Steepest grade | 5.6% |
| Difficulty | 4/5 |
| Field size | ≈30,000 runners |
| Race day | Third Monday of April |
| Elevation from | USGS 3DEP ned10m (US, 10 m) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Mile-by-mile splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill miles get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Mile | GAP pace /mi | GAP pace /km | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:27 | 5:15 | -107 ft (-33 m) | 8:27 |
| 2 | 8:47 | 5:27 | -57 ft (-17 m) | 17:13 |
| 3 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -56 ft (-17 m) | 26:01 |
| 4 | 8:45 | 5:26 | -59 ft (-18 m) | 34:46 |
| 5 | 9:25 | 5:51 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 44:11 |
| 6 | 9:04 | 5:38 | -25 ft (-8 m) | 53:14 |
| 7 | 9:10 | 5:42 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 1:02:24 |
| 8 | 9:18 | 5:47 | -1 ft (0 m) | 1:11:42 |
| 9 | 9:13 | 5:43 | -8 ft (-2 m) | 1:20:55 |
| 10 | 9:26 | 5:52 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:30:22 |
| 11 | 9:32 | 5:55 | +26 ft (+8 m) | 1:39:53 |
| 12 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -54 ft (-16 m) | 1:48:42 |
| 13 | 9:20 | 5:48 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 1:58:02 |
| 14 | 9:15 | 5:45 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:07:16 |
| 15 | 9:30 | 5:54 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 2:16:46 |
| 16 | 8:21 | 5:11 | -110 ft (-33 m) | 2:25:07 |
| 17 | 9:53 | 6:08 | +57 ft (+17 m) | 2:35:00 |
| 18 | 9:45 | 6:03 | +41 ft (+13 m) | 2:44:44 |
| 19 | 9:00 | 5:35 | -31 ft (-9 m) | 2:53:44 |
| 20 | 9:34 | 5:57 | +25 ft (+7 m) | 3:03:18 |
| 21 | 10:12 | 6:20 | +88 ft (+27 m) | 3:13:30 |
| 22 | 8:37 | 5:21 | -78 ft (-24 m) | 3:22:07 |
| 23 | 8:53 | 5:31 | -44 ft (-14 m) | 3:31:00 |
| 24 | 8:48 | 5:28 | -54 ft (-17 m) | 3:39:48 |
| 25 | 8:56 | 5:33 | -39 ft (-12 m) | 3:48:43 |
| 26 | 9:18 | 5:47 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:58:01 |
| 26.2 | 9:03 | 5:37 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Boston Marathon flat or hilly?
The Boston Marathon is a challenging course with meaningful climbs (4/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 770 ft (240 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Boston Marathon have?
About 770 ft (240 m) of total ascent and 1230 ft (370 m) of descent, for a net change of -453 ft (-138 m). Elevation is sampled from USGS 3DEP ned10m (US, 10 m) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
Where are the Newton Hills on the Boston Marathon course?
The Newton Hills run from mile 16 to 21 (km 25.7–33.5) and climb 190 ft (60 m) over 7.8 km at an average 0.7% — about 5% more effort than the same ground run flat. Four rises between mile 16 and mile 21, arriving exactly when a marathon starts to hurt.
What mile is Heartbreak Hill on the Boston Marathon course?
Heartbreak Hill runs from mile 20 to 21 (km 32.2–33.5) and climbs 90 ft (30 m) over 1.3 km at an average 2.2% — about 13% more effort than the same ground run flat. The last of the Newton hills, and the one that decides most Boston races — not because it is steep, but because it lands at mile 20 after sixteen miles of quad-shredding descent.
What is the hardest part of the Boston Marathon course?
Kilometre 33 (near mile 20.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 9% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 5.6%.
When is the Boston Marathon?
The Boston Marathon is typically held on the third Monday of April. The next edition is expected around April 19, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Boston Marathon?
The field is roughly 30,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Boston Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Boston race
Named climbs on the Boston Marathon course
- The Newton Hills run from mile 16 to 21 (km 25.7–33.5) and climb 190 ft (60 m) over 7.8 km at an average 0.7% — about 5% more effort than the same ground run flat. Four rises between mile 16 and mile 21, arriving exactly when a marathon starts to hurt.
- Heartbreak Hill runs from mile 20 to 21 (km 32.2–33.5) and climbs 90 ft (30 m) over 1.3 km at an average 2.2% — about 13% more effort than the same ground run flat. The last of the Newton hills, and the one that decides most Boston races — not because it is steep, but because it lands at mile 20 after sixteen miles of quad-shredding descent.
Marathons with a similar profile
- Marine Corps Marathon — 770 ft (230 m) ascent
- New York City Marathon — 770 ft (230 m) ascent
- Dublin Marathon — 760 ft (230 m) ascent
- Philadelphia Marathon — 740 ft (230 m) ascent
How Boston Marathon ranks
- Hilliest marathon courses — ranked 9 of 20 (770 ft (240 m) of climbing)
- Net-downhill marathon courses — ranked 2 of 13 (450 ft (140 m) net drop)
- Hardest marathon courses — ranked 8 of 20 (4/5 — 770 ft (240 m) up, 1,230 ft (370 m) down)
- Marathons with the hardest finish — ranked 5 of 10 (hardest at km 33 (mile 20.5) — 9% over flat effort)
- World Marathon Majors compared — ranked 6 of 7 (770 ft (240 m) of climbing)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 10 of 20 (≈30,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon