boston marathon wind
By PaceKit Team · Updated April 2026
The Boston Marathon runs west to east, from Hopkinton to downtown Boston. Prevailing winds in April blow predominantly from the west. When the prevailing winds cooperate, Boston runners get a tailwind for most of the race, and the results reflect it: the 2011 race, with a 15 mph tailwind on a 63°F day, produced one of the fastest mass-participation days in the race's history. When the wind reverses, the results are equally dramatic: the 2018 race, with rain and sustained headwinds, was historically slow across the entire field.
The performance math is straightforward. Research shows that at marathon pace, a 10 mph headwind costs roughly 12 seconds per mile. A 10 mph tailwind saves roughly 6 seconds per mile. That asymmetry is important: headwinds hurt twice as much as tailwinds help. Over 26.2 miles, a 10 mph wind swing can mean an 8-minute difference in finish time. That's the difference between a comfortable BQ and a miss.
April is Boston's windiest month, averaging about 14 mph. The probability of wind at 13 mph or higher is around 55%. Most often, April's wind blows from slightly south of east, which creates a headwind for the course. But the wind direction is variable, and tailwind years happen often enough that runners plan for them.
What this means for your pacing strategy: check the wind forecast on Sunday night and again Monday morning. If a significant tailwind is forecast (westerly winds above 10 mph), you can be slightly more aggressive with your pacing. The wind is doing work for you, and the time is there to take. If a headwind is forecast (easterly winds), slow your goal pace by 5 to 10 seconds per mile and focus on drafting behind other runners. Drafting can eliminate up to 80% of the energy cost of air resistance, making it the single most effective headwind tactic available.
The exposed sections of the course where wind hits hardest: the Route 128 overpass at mile 16 (a bridge with no wind protection), the Newton Hills (elevated and exposed), and the final straight on Boylston Street (a wind tunnel between buildings that can create unpredictable gusts regardless of the prevailing direction).
Wind is not something you train for in the way you train for hills. It's something you plan for on race morning. Know the forecast. Know which sections are exposed. And know that a headwind day at Boston is a fundamentally different race from a tailwind day.