Sunita Williams confirms her run in the 130th Boston Marathon, returning after running it barefoot as a teenager and later completing it from space/Photo: Bostonglobe.com
Sunita Williams will be among the runners in the 130th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20, with the Boston Athletic Association confirming her participation in the 26.2-mile race from Hopkinton to Back Bay. The Boston Marathon, first held in 1897 and held every year on Patriots Day, remains the oldest annual marathon in the world. This year’s edition will feature more than 30,000 runners from more than 130 countries and all 50 US states, passing through eight Massachusetts cities before finishing in Copley Square.
A return shaped by experience, on and off the ground
Williams, a native of Needham, Mass., and a former U.S. Navy captain, spent more than 27 years at NASA and logged 608 days in space across three missions.
She holds the record for the most spacewalk time by a woman, with 62 hours across nine flights, and will retire at the end of 2025. She and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore returned to Earth in March 2025 after a planned one-week mission that was extended to 286 days due to problems with the spacecraft’s engines. Her connection to the Boston Marathon goes back to when she was 17, when she ran the course without being officially registered.
“I had high-top sneakers. I didn’t have running shoes, and they hurt my feet. So I gave them to my mom, and I said, ‘Okay, I’ll be done with this guy.’ I’ll just run barefoot,” Williams told NewsCenter 5. She later completed the full 26.2-mile distance in 2007 while aboard the International Space Station, becoming the first person to run a marathon in space. Her decision to return this year follows a commitment she made in May 2025 while speaking at Merrimack College’s commencement. “I have a challenge for myself and I will say it now that I hope to run the Boston Marathon in 2026,” she said. “So, I’ll make myself do it now that you said it out loud.” “I turned 60 this year, so why not give it another chance?” She said.
How do you look at the race now?
Williams said she understands what racing requires, even with her experience. “They always scare me. They’re always terrible at some point,” she said, laughing, to News Center 5. “It’s going to be hard. So, at some point, you’re going to have to dig a little deeper just to keep going,” she added. She added that she is ready to manage the race as soon as it develops. Williams said she is confident she can complete the distance and has enough experience to give herself room to adapt if necessary during the 26.2-mile course.
Conditions are expected to favor the runners
The weather forecast calls for cooler conditions for race day. Temperatures are expected to start near the 40s F (about 4 °C) in Hopkinton and rise to the mid to upper 40s F (about 8 °C to 9 °C) in Boston in the early to mid-afternoon. No significant rain or snow is expected. Winds are expected to range between 10 and 25 mph (16 to 40 km/h) from the northwest, blowing across the track. Final conditions will be confirmed after the frontal system moves across eastern Massachusetts on Sunday evening.
Recognition on race day
Williams will also receive the Boston Athletic Association’s Patriots Award, an annual honor given to individuals recognized for being patriotic, philanthropic and inspirational. Her participation adds to a field that includes elite runners, amateur athletes and charity participants, all covering the same 26.2-mile route across Massachusetts.
