A field of 9,000 participants – including world-class professional athletes, Boston Marathon champions, and American record holders – will compete in New England’s signature half marathon
BOSTON – The 2023 B.A.A. Half Marathon presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund will be held this Sunday, November 12, starting and finishing within Boston’s Franklin Park. A field of 9,000 athletes from Greater Boston and beyond will take to the roads of Boston and Brookline in pursuit of the coveted unicorn finisher’s medal.
To support your coverage of this year’s event, please find event storylines and race information below. Media interested in covering the 2023 B.A.A. Half Marathon can submit credential requests here or email media@baa.org for more information. Credential pick-up is at the Media Tent within Franklin Park’s White Stadium on Sunday, beginning at 6:45 a.m. Additional details will be sent in the coming days to those who’ve requested credentials.
PRE-RACE MEDIA OPPORTUNITY – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Members of the B.A.A. Half Marathon professional field will attend a special meet and greet event with Stride for Stride running club on Saturday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Boston Common. The professional athletes will meet and share tips with participants who are running in Sunday’s event for Stride for Stride, a non-profit running organization that purchases race entries for immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income runners, making races more accessible and more diverse. Athletes will be available for interviews and photos. Media who would like to attend please RSVP to media@baa.org.
Among the professional athletes scheduled to join are defending B.A.A. Half Marathon champions Geoffrey Koech and Viola Chepngeno, Boston Marathon Para Athletics Division champions Marko Cheseto and Liz Willis, as well as American record holder Keira D’Amato and Olympian for Mexico Juan Luis Barrios.
B.A.A. HALF MARATHON EVENT STORYLINES & INFORMATION
- The B.A.A. Half Marathon will start at 8:00 a.m. this Sunday, November 12, from Franklin Park. The 13.1-mile course runs along the picturesque Emerald Necklace Park System, past area landmarks such as the Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park Zoo, before finishing at White Stadium in Franklin Park. A detailed course map can be found here.
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund have partnered with the B.A.A. Half Marathon since 2003 as the race’s presenting sponsor and exclusive charity team. Through this relationship, Dana-Farber runners have collectively raised more than $8.6 million to support groundbreaking cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and enabled Dana-Farber scientists and clinicians to positively impact the lives of cancer patients around the world. A team of 600+ athletes will be part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund’s team for this year’s event, having already raised over $630,000 to defy cancer. Those interested in supporting Dana-Farber’s team can make a donation here.
- At the front of the field, Boston Marathon champions and American record holders will vie for top honors. Among the notable professional athletes entered are defending open division champions Geoffrey Koech and Viola Chepngeno; wheelchair winner and course record holder Jenna Fesemyer; as well as Para Athletics Division champions Marko Cheseto and Liz Willis.
- American half marathon record holder and 2022 B.A.A. 10K champion Keira D’Amato returns to the Bay State for her first B.A.A. Half Marathon. She’ll be joined by fellow Team USA members from this year’s World Athletics Championships Natosha Rodgers and Lindsay Flanagan.
- A total of eleven men have personal bests under 1:01:00, while 15 women have run 1:10:00 or faster for the half marathon distance. The complete professional field can be found here, while professional athlete bios are available here. Of note, previously announced competitors Lelisa Desisa (two-time champion), last year’s runner-up Bosena Mulati, and American marathoner Susanna Sullivan have withdrawn. Any additional field updates will be incorporated in the above professional field link.
- Participants in this year’s B.A.A. Half Marathon are from 46 U.S. states (plus Washington, DC) and 97 countries. Among the field of 9,000 participants are many athletes also entered in next April’s 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America.
- 2,072 participants are aiming to complete the 2023 B.A.A. Distance Medley, a three-race series which includes April’s B.A.A. 5K, June’s B.A.A. 10K, and November’s B.A.A. Half Marathon. The B.A.A. Distance Medley series provides athletes a year-long way to experience training and racing at three different distances, with the aim of improving fitness throughout the calendar year.
- The B.A.A. Half Marathon is a family-friendly event for athletes and spectators of all ages. Free youth events will be offered on race morning within Franklin Park’s White Stadium, featuring bibs and medals for all. Registration will open at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, and youth races will start at 8:15 a.m. More information can be found here.
- Spectators and runners are encouraged to download the B.A.A. Racing App powered by TCS for live race day tracking, leaderboards, results, custom selfie stations, course maps, information, and more. The B.A.A. Racing App is available for free within Apple iOS and Android.
- A prize purse of $96,200 is available for professional athletes in the open, wheelchair, masters, and Para Athletics Divisions. Additional details can be found here.
- Course records for the B.A.A. Half Marathon are:
Open Men: 1:00:34, Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia), 2013
Open Women: 1:07:40, Brillian Kipkoech (Kenya), 2019
Wheelchair Men: 50:43, Daniel Romanchuk (Illinois), 2022
Wheelchair Women: 59:50, Jenna Fesemyer (Illinois), 2022
- 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon Champions (asterisk indicates entered in this year’s race):
Open Men: 1:02:02, Geoffrey Koech (Kenya)*
Open Women: 1:10:40, Viola Chepngeno (Kenya)*
Wheelchair Men: 50:43, Daniel Romanchuk (Illinois)
Wheelchair Women: 59:50, Jenna Fesemyer (Illinois)*
T11-T13 Men (vision impairment): 1:38:13, Irwin Ramirez (Virginia)*
T61-T64 Men (lower-limb impairment) Men: 1:24:54, Marko Cheseto (Florida)*
T11-T13 Women (vision impairment): 1:41:32, Jennifer Herring (New Jersey)*
T61-T64 Women (lower-limb impairment): 2:35:44, Jacky Hunt-Broersma (Netherlands)
For additional information on the 2023 B.A.A. Half Marathon presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, please visit our event website. Media interested in covering the 2023 B.A.A. Half Marathon can submit credential requests here.
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. The 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 15, 2024. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world’s leading centers of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farber’s mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
We provide the latest treatments in cancer for adults through Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and for children through Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 5 U.S. News & World Report Best Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care.
As a global leader in oncology, Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world, offering more than 1,100 clinical trials.
About the Jimmy Fund
The Jimmy Fund, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023, is comprised of community-based fundraising events and other programs that, solely and directly, benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s lifesaving mission to provide compassionate patient care and groundbreaking cancer research for children and adults. The Jimmy Fund is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Mass Challenge, and the Variety Children's Charity of New England. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide. Follow the Jimmy Fund on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @TheJimmyFund.