SO WE HAVE PAST CHAMPIONS IN HERE. LET ME BIRHANEW IS ALSO IN HERE AS ONE OF THE THREE PAST CHAMPIONS ON THE MEN’S SIDE AND A LOT OF GREAT YOUNG AMERICANS. WE TALKED ABOUT JOE KLECKER THERE, MEB, WHO RAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO. THERE’S SOME OTHER REALLY GOOD GUYS THAT RAN IN THE NCAA THAT WE’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM CHARLES HICKS, WHO IS AT STANFORD, ALEX MAIER, WHO RAN FOR OKLAHOMA STATE, GO POLK’S AMERICA’S BRIGHTEST ORANGE. SO WE’LL SEE FROM THOSE GUYS TOO. AND SO THAT WILL ALL BE INTRIGUING IS THAT LAYS OUT OVER 26.2 MILES AS WE GET READY FOR THE MEN’S PROFESSIONAL START. START HOPKINTON. AND THEN HERE IT COMES ALL THE WAY. ZDENO CHARA, THE GREAT DEFENSEMAN FOR THE BOSTON BRUINS. HE’S GOING TO RUN IN I BELIEVE THE FIRST WAY HE RUNS HERE ALL THE TIME AND NOT NOT ON SKATES, WHICH WOULD REALLY BE FANTASTIC IF HE DID THAT. SIX STARS, SIX STARS. YOU GOT TO MISS SYDNEY. IS THAT THE ONE HE’S MISSING DOWN THERE. TAKE A LOOK. THERE’S JOHN COURIER. LISTEN, IT’LL JUST BE FUN TO WATCH HIM IN THE FIRST QUARTER. SEE IF HE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE HIS WAY THROUGH. THERE’S CLAYTON YOUNG. HE WAS SEVENTH LAST YEAR. CONNOR MANSELL THE GUY WAS FOURTH. AND NOW THE AMERICAN RECORD HOLDER FROM HIS RACE IN CHICAGO. NOT HERE. HE’S BEEN AROUND BUT HURT. SO HE’S NOT BACK TO RUN IN THIS RACE. 30S BENSON KIPRUTO 30S. THIS WILL BE THE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT. GREAT. 30S TO GO. TAKE A LOOK AT BENSON. HE CAME OFF A NEW YORK CITY WIN A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE THERE THROUGH THE FIVE BOROUGHS BACK IN NOVEMBER. BEFORE HE JUMPS INTO HIS WAVE WILL GIVE US THE OFFICIAL GUN. IT IS THE RACE THAT EVERY RUNNER WANTS TO RUN, AND IT IS THE RACE THAT EVERY WORLD CLASS MARATHONER AND EVERY PRO WANTS
Bruins legend, retired astronaut among celebrities in 130th Boston Marathon
Updated: 11:10 AM EDT Apr 20, 2026
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He raised his arm and fired the starting gun for the 130th Boston Marathon, then Boston Bruins legend Zdeno Chara climbed down onto the race course for his own run from Hopkinton to Copley Square.Chara, who recently completed the 6-star challenge, meaning he completed all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, is running Boston for the third consecutive year. The retired Bruins captain and NHL Hall of Famer is just one of the many celebrities racing this year. Others include Chelsea Clinton, retired NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Dropkick Murphys’ multi-instrumentalist Jeff DaRosa, former Team USA soccer player Kristine Lilly, Boston-based comedian Laura Green, former NBA player Chris Herren and “Love Island USA” Season 7 winner Bryan Arenales, among others.Boston Marathon coverage: How to watch | Race forecast | Find Your Finish Chara, Green and Williams were all among the participants in the first wave. They’re among a total of approximately 30,000 participants in this year’s marathon. Nearly 200 organizations partner with the Boston Marathon to raise tens of millions of dollars every year. This year, the charity runners account for approximately 10% of the total field size.In 2025, the Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program reached a new record fundraising level of $50.4 million. Since the Official Charity Program’s inception in 1989, more than $600 million has been raised surrounding the Boston Marathon.
HOPKINTON, Mass. —
He raised his arm and fired the starting gun for the 130th Boston Marathon, then Boston Bruins legend Zdeno Chara climbed down onto the race course for his own run from Hopkinton to Copley Square.
Chara, who recently completed the 6-star challenge, meaning he completed all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, is running Boston for the third consecutive year.
The retired Bruins captain and NHL Hall of Famer is just one of the many celebrities racing this year. Others include Chelsea Clinton, retired NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Dropkick Murphys’ multi-instrumentalist Jeff DaRosa, former Team USA soccer player Kristine Lilly, Boston-based comedian Laura Green, former NBA player Chris Herren and “Love Island USA” Season 7 winner Bryan Arenales, among others.
Boston Marathon coverage: How to watch | Race forecast | Find Your Finish
Chara, Green and Williams were all among the participants in the first wave.
They’re among a total of approximately 30,000 participants in this year’s marathon.
Nearly 200 organizations partner with the Boston Marathon to raise tens of millions of dollars every year. This year, the charity runners account for approximately 10% of the total field size.
In 2025, the Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program reached a new record fundraising level of $50.4 million. Since the Official Charity Program’s inception in 1989, more than $600 million has been raised surrounding the Boston Marathon.