Don’t look now, but the Boston Marathon is less than a month away.
Anybody who has ever run a marathon knows that the weekend of the race can be a blur. There’s traveling to the expo, making sure you are off your feet, and exploring a big city (because you never know when you will get back there).
That’s why we are here to give you a handy guide to Boston. We will take some of the nerves out of the weekend by giving you options on what to do, where to eat, and where you might be able to get those last shakeout runs in.
Where to Eat
This is one of the first things that comes to mind for any runner who is about to take on 26.2 miles.
When you need to find those carbs, all you really have to do is head to Boston’s North End. Walk down Hanover Street in the small neighborhood and you can smell the breads and pastas dishes. Check out Pizzeria Regina, a staple of the North End since 1926, for a massive slice of brick oven pizza. The North End will definitely be slammed with people, but you are in luck, because in every direction there is a delicious restaurant waiting for you to sit and eat.
If you want to stay closer to the finish line, then check out Eataly, which opened this past November on Boylston Street in the Prudential Center. Eataly is a huge Italian marketplace, where you can grab a sandwich or find a sitdown option. Just don’t stay on your feet too long walking around.
Some off-the-beaten-path options away from the marathon epicenter are in the South End. Check out Lucca Back Bay and Giacomo’s (cash only) for some good Italian cuisine.
If you want to treat yourself to a steak, head down to the Seaport to Del Frisco’s. You’ll also get some great views of the Boston Harbor down on Northern Avenue. For more pizza, head to Charlestown to Brewer’s Fork. The pizza is barroom size, so you should be able to polish one off before race day. Try the BBQ pizza, which has honeycrisp apples on it. For a healthy option, go to Life Alive in Cambridge for healthy salads, wraps, and smoothies.
Looking for that postrace sandwich indulgence? Wahlburgers, aptly named after local Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg’s family, started in the South Shore but grew in popularity-on television and with locations. Find the closest one in the Fenway neighborhood on Brookline Avenue.
If you need a caffeine jolt, head to one of the several locations of Pavement Coffehouse. If you are staying close to the finish line you can find two locations near you, on Newbury Street and on Boylston Street, right through the Massachusetts Avenue intersection.
Finally, you can’t go to Boston without trying out Mike’s Pastry in the North End, although we recommend getting that cannoli for after the 26.2 miles. If you are into cupcakes (or you want to be the best spectator ever by having a box of them for your runner at the finish), then Georgetown Cupcakes on Newbury Street has several options. Need a nice carb-filled doughnut on Tuesday? Go to Union Square Donuts in Brookline.
RELATED: How to Watch the Boston Marathon
What to Do for Fun
The Boston Marathon Expo at the Hynes Convention Center is the place you will need to go to ultimately pick up your bib. Every running vendor is usually represented, and you can see and try on some of the new gear and technology used in the sport. That being said, it’s important that you don’t spend all day on your feet.
Just across the street from Hynes, Runner’s World will have its own unique location at 899 Boylston Street. Open from Friday through Sunday, runners can come meet the staff of Runner’s World, attend seminars, and purchase exclusive merchandise. (Read more about the whole Runner’s World Pop-Up experience here.)
If you want to see more of the city, check out a Boston Duck Tour. These amphibious automobiles duck (pun intended) and weave through the Boston city streets and come fully equipped with a knowledgeable tour guide—all done in about 80 minutes, depending on traffic in the city. You’ll also get an awesome view of the city from the Charles River, which is a great way to do a Freedom Trail style tour through Boston without piling up miles.
After exploring the final stretch of the race, the Boston Public Library is just a few yards from the finish fine. The building got a bit of a face-lift since last year’s race., with the second phase of the Central Library Renovation complete. It’s added some new life to the old building with a new innovation center and a new look with windows that give it an open theme to those walking by. Library officials said that there won’t be a Boston Marathon themed display this year, but WGBH’s satellite studio is located in the building and there are opportunities to watch a live broadcast of the shows.
Boston has plenty of bars and nightlife, whether you want to stay in the Back Bay or head down to the Theater District to catch a show or hit up a nightclub. (Though you obviously don’t want to stay out too late 24 to 48 hours before your 26.2.)
And of course, a trip to Boston wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Fenway Park. The Red Sox are in town all weekend playing the Tampa Bay Rays, and on Monday they have their traditional first pitch at 11:05 a.m., which makes for quite a scene when the game gets out and the runners start trudging toward Kenmore Square.
Tickets will be tough to come by that weekend, but there are afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday if you’d like to get to Fenway. If you want to go in the area just to soak in the atmosphere, check out the iconic bar, the Cask N’ Flagon, just steps away from the park. The bar is located behind the Green Monster on Landsdowne Street and is one of the best baseball taverns in the country.
Where to Run
, so you know you will be in a good spot when you want to get those shake out miles in. If you want to see some of the Boston Marathon elites warm up over the weekend, head to the Charles River. But please do not try to keep up with them. (You will thank us around mile 16 on Monday.)
The Charles separates Boston from Cambridge, and you can get some picturesque miles done by running from the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge toward the Museum of Science for a nice, easy, flat loop. It’s also a great way to avoid the big crowds on Newbury Street and Boylston Street.
If you want to check out other spots, take a trip down to South Boston and run the Castle Island loop. Swing into Sullivan’s for some food (yes, we are always thinking about food) after the run. You will get some great views of the Boston Harbor Islands.
If the weather forces you indoors—it is New England—then check out two indoor treadmill studios, MYSTRYDE in the North End and Heartbreak Running Company’s indoor studio in Cambridge. It could be a little more fun than your hotel’s treadmill, but just be sure that you keep it at the shakeout run level of effort.
November Project Boston will wake you up on Friday morning with a hill workout at 6:30 a.m. at the top of Summit Avenue in Brookline at Corey Hill Outlook.
If you really want a turn-by-turn view of the city, check out Janji, a running apparel store on Newbury Street, for their Nomadic Run Crew on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. The group runs to a different mural every week and hands you turn-by-turn directions to get to the destination when you arrive in the morning. They offer five and 10 mile routes, but said they will do a three-mile option on marathon weekend for those looking for a more relaxed shake out run.
There will also be a variety of shakeout runs from the Runner’s World Pop-Up store starting on Thursday evening. Runs will be joined by the likes of Chief Running Officer Bart Yasso, editors from Runner’s World, and special guests all weekend.
What to Do After You Get Your Medal
So you’ve finished the Boston Marathon and you are draped in your medal. Congratulations! Now you can head over to Fenway Park for the official Boston Athletic Association after party at Fenway Park. It goes from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and runners and their guests will be able to walk around the park, see the World Series trophies, and, weather-permitting, walk on the warning track. Guests need to purchase tickets for $25. Runners just need to walk a little funny and have their medals.
The B.A.A. is also holding an event at the Adidas Runbase store on Boylston Street from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. where finishers can get their jackets embroidered with their finishing time for free.
Marathon Sports on Boylston Street just down the road will also be engraving finisher medals on the Tuesday after the Marathon. Times are still to be determined, however, and representatives from the store said to monitor the website for more information.
