– The women’s side features three women who have broken 2:18, including Lokedi, last year’s fourth place finisher Irine Cheptai (2:17:51), and Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa (2:17:55).

– Most notably absent is the 2023 and 2024 champion Hellen Obiri. Obiri has opted for Boston as her spring race of choice since she started marathoning in the fall of 2022. Last year, she was second to Lokedi by 19 seconds but then beat her compatriot in another tightly-contested battle at the New York City Marathon. Obiri could be thinking about a flat, fast spring major like London to try and lower her 2:17:41 personal best, set on this course last year.

– We’re awaiting the full professional field for the London Marathon to be announced but 2025's fastest women like Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:14:00), Peres Jepchirchir (2:14:43), Hawi Feysa (2:14:57), Tigst Assefa (2:15:50), Sutume Asefa Kebede (2:16:31) and Brigid Kosgei (2:16:36) have yet to share their spring plans publicly. Assefa would likely return to London to defend her title after running her women’s-only marathon world record of 2:15:50.

Nearly All The Best Americans Will Be There

It’s no surprise that Boston shells out the best appearance fee money for Americans in the spring and this year’s field boasts many of the best Americans in history and especially the past two years with the entire 2024 U.S. Olympic team members (Emily Sisson, Fiona O’Keeffe, and Dakotah Lindwurm) and 2025 World Championship team members (Susanna Sullivan, Jess McClain, and Erika Kemp). This year’s race features eight of the ten fastest U.S. women from 2025 (record-eligible courses).

Here’s a look at where the top 20 Americans (on-record eligible courses) are racing this spring:

1. Fiona O’Keeffe (2:22:49, New York) | Boston
2. Erika Kemp (2:22:56, Houston) | Boston
3. Natosha Rogers (2:23:28, Chicago) | Boston
4. Annie Frisbie (2:24:12, New York) | Boston
5. Dakotah Popehn (2:24:20, Chicago) | Boston
6. Emily Sisson (2:25:05, New York) | Boston
7. Amanda Vestri (2:25:40, New York) | Boston
8. Emma Bates (2:25:51, Valencia) | TBD
9. Gabriella Rooker (2:26:32, Chicago) | Boston
10. Aubrey Frentheway (2:27:14, Grandma’s Marathon – Duluth) | Just announced she is pregnant
11. Maggie Montoya (2:27:50, Rotterdam) | TBD
12. Keira D’Amato (2:28:14, Valencia) ) | Boston
13. Susanna Sullivan (2:28:17, Tokyo) ) | Boston
14. Molly Grabill (2:28:56, Chandler, AZ) | TBD
15. Amber Zimmerman (2:29:01, Houston) | TBD
16. Jessica McClain (2:29:20, Tokyo) ) | Boston
17. Makenna Myler (2:29:26, Chicago) | TBD
18. Jane Bareikis (2:30:16, Chandler, AZ) | TBD
19. Paige Wood (2:30:24, Grandma’s Marathon – Duluth) ) | Boston
20. Makena Morley (2:30:56, Grandma’s Marathon – Duluth) | TBD

– American record holder Emily Sisson is slated to make her Boston debut, her first spring Major since the 2019 London Marathon. Most recently, she was eighth in 2:25:05 at the New York City Marathon. With Conner Mantz in the men’s field, this is the first time since Bill Rodgers and Kim Merritt in 1978 that both American record holders in the marathon will race Boston.

– Fiona O'Keeffe, the top American at last November’s New York City Marathon in 2:22:49, will make her Boston Marathon debut as well. This will be O'Keeffe’s fourth career marathon start and first spring Major. O’Keeffe was taking a patient approach to her injury from the Paris Olympics and opted to race only one marathon last year.

– Also running her first Boston Marathon will be Natosha Rogers, who clocked a personal best of 2:23:28 at the Chicago Marathon last fall to finish sixth overall and as the top American. She’s taken well to the marathon under the guidance of coach Steve Magness with two PBs in 2025.

– Jess McClain ran 2:22:43 for seventh place and top American honors in last year’s Boston Marathon. The time held up as the fastest marathon performance (on all courses) by an American woman in 2025. McClain was eighth at the Tokyo World Championships in 2:29:20.

– The Minnesota Distance Elite duo of Annie Frisbie (8th last year in 2:23:21 / 5th in New York in 2:24:12) and U.S. Olympian Dakotah Popehn (16th in Boston last year in 2:26:09 / 7th in New York in 2:24:21) add further depth to the field.