By Lauren HollandUpdated November 2026
Who won the first Boston Marathon? John J. McDermott won the inaugural race on April 19, 1897, finishing in 2:55:10 with a field of 15 starters. He was a New York runner, and his win set the tone for a race that would grow into one of the most storied events in distance running.
Why the 1897 Result Is Hard to Pin Down
Records from the earliest years of organized road racing are patchy. The 1897 race was small, the timing was done by hand, and the course was measured by methods that would not meet modern standards. Most historical accounts agree on McDermott as the winner and on a finishing time near 2:55, but you will sometimes see slightly different splits or spellings of names in older newspaper coverage. When you cite the result, use the official Boston Athletic Association history and check against a second source if precision matters for your writing.
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Factors That Shaped the First Race
A few details explain why the 1897 result looks the way it does:
- The course. The route ran from Ashland to Boston, roughly 24.5 miles, and was not the 26.2-mile distance used at the Olympics a year earlier. Course length in the 1890s varied, so a time that looks slow today reflects both the terrain and the shorter distance.
- The field. With only 15 starters, the race had little competition in the modern sense. McDermott’s win depended on the pace he held over a hilly, unfamiliar road course.
- Timing methods. Hand timing and limited officials mean small discrepancies between sources are common. Treat exact seconds with some caution.
How to Verify the Winner for Your Own Research
If you are writing a report, a trivia answer, or a race history piece, a few steps will keep your facts clean:
- Start with the Boston Athletic Association’s published race history, which lists the 1897 winner and time.
- Cross-check with contemporary newspaper archives from April 1897, noting that reporting of the period sometimes misspelled names.
- Confirm the distance and course description separately, since many articles mix the 1897 course with later Boston routes.
- Be explicit about the year. The 1897 race is the first Boston Marathon, but the same winner’s name is not the answer to “first marathon ever” questions, which point to the ancient Greek legend.
For readers curious about the broader origin of distance running, our guide on Who Won the First Marathon? The 490 BC Story and the Winner covers the legend behind the name, while When Was the First Boston Marathon? The 1897 Race Explained goes deeper into the date and setup of the inaugural event.
Context: Women and the Boston Field
The early decades of Boston were run by men only, and the history of women entering the race is a separate story. If your interest is the wider timeline, First Woman to Run Boston Marathon 1966: Who Was She and What Happened? and Boston Marathon First Woman: Who Was She and When? trace how that changed. For readers planning to race Boston themselves, How to Qualify for Boston on Your First Marathon: Standards and Steps explains the entry standards.
FAQ
Who won the first Boston Marathon in 1897?
John J. McDermott won the first Boston Marathon on April 19, 1897, finishing in about 2:55:10.
How long was the first Boston Marathon?
The 1897 course ran from Ashland to Boston, about 24.5 miles, which was shorter than the modern 26.2-mile marathon distance.
How many runners started the first Boston Marathon?
Records list 15 starters in the inaugural race, making it a small field by today’s standards.
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About Lauren Holland
Lauren Holland is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our marathon & half-marathon guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.
