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Marcel Hug wins 7th Boston Marathon
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug smashed his own course record in the men’s wheelchair race, winning with a time of 1:15:32. This is his seventh Boston Marathon win.
Keep track of all the winners here.
Rob Gronkowski serves as grand marshal
AP Photo/Mary Schwalm
Former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski got the festivities started Monday morning in his role as grand marshal.
The former tight end and four-time Super Bowl champ was the recipient of the B.A.A.’s Patriots’ Award. The award is presented to someone who is “patriotic, philanthropic, and inspirational, and fosters goodwill and sportsmanship.”
Professional men and women runners depart Hopkinton
And they’re off! The professional men and women running the Boston Marathon have taken off from the starting line in Hopkinton.
Mary Schwalm / AP
Men’s and women’s wheelchair race underway
The men’s and women’s wheelchair race kicked off shortly after 9 a.m. Participants include four-time women’s wheelchair winner Manuela Schar from Switzerland. Her countryman Marcel Hug has won six times.
One American to watch is former Boston Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk in the men’s wheelchair race.
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Notable runners in this year’s race
There are a number of marathon winners and notable runners hitting the course today.
That includes 2014 Boston Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi and 2018 winner Des Linden, along with 1968 champion Amby Burfoot.
Chris Nikic, a well-known runner with Down Syndrome, will be taking on the course wearing bib number 7796.
Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara will run the Boston Marathon again, wearing bib 3333.
Boston Marathon by the numbers
This year’s Boston Marathon will include a total of 29,451 runners, including people from 118 countries.
Residents from all 50 U.S. states will run this year’s race.
Massachusetts residents make up 4,464 members of the field.
A total of 9,900 volunteers are making things run smoothly along the course.
Boston Marathon forecast
The Boston Marathon forecast calls for a nearly perfect day for spectators along the route.
But it may be a bit warmer that runners would like to see.
CBS Boston
The best news, however, is that there’s no rain in the forecast.
Mile-by-mile guide to the Boston Marathon
If you’ve never run the Boston Marathon, it may be difficult to picture what you can expect.
A mile-by-mile guide to the course shows where the 26.2-mile course will take you as you run from Hopkinton to Boston on Marathon Monday.
Marking 100 years since starting line moved
The 2024 Boston Marathon marks 100 years since the starting line moved from Ashland to Hopkinton.
WBZ-TV’s Levan Reid gave a look at how Hopkinton is marking the occasion.
How to track a runner
There are several ways you can track a runner during this year’s Boston Marathon.
You can follow updates on the B.A.A. app, website, or social media.
You’ll also be able to use those methods to get complete results.
Road closures and traffic delays
There will be a lengthy list of road closures and traffic impacts due to the Boston Marathon.
You can find all of them here, including additional MBTA impacts.
What you can’t bring to the Boston Marathon
According to the B.A.A., here are items are not allowed along the Boston Marathon course:
- Backpacks or other over-the-shoulder handbags
- Packages or other bulky items that are larger than 12x12x6 inches
- Fireworks or other flammable liquids
- Props such as sporting equipment, flagpoles, or other hard objects
- Suitcases of any kind
- Coolers, regardless of style
- Large blankets like comforters and sleeping bags
- Some containers such as glass, cans, or anything that carries more than one liter of liquid
- Costumes, including those that cover your face
- Weapons including guns, knives and pepper spray
Mark Evans/Getty Images
Credit card debt has been surging nationwide — and with rates where they are, it’s no wonder why. According to the Federal Reserve, the average credit card rate sits at over 23% right now — up from just 14% just a couple of years ago and the highest rate on record.
Today’s sky-high credit card rates have made it incredibly hard for consumers to get out of debt. In fact, delinquencies on credit cards have more than doubled on credit cards since 2021 alone.
But credit card rates are variable, so they — and your monthly payment — can change fast. Will rates on credit cards climb in the new year, though?
Find out how to get rid of your existing credit card debt here.
Will credit card rates climb in 2025? Experts weigh in
Want to know where your rates may be headed in the next year? Here’s what experts had to say.
Credit card rates may remain the same
The Federal Reserve reduced its federal funds rate at its last three meetings — a move that typically results in interest rate dips on variable-rate products like credit cards and HELOCs.
But future rate cuts aren’t certain — especially with recent reports showing inflation ticking back up.
“As the Federal Reserve digests the recent election results and economic reports on inflation, housing, and employment, it appears they may be in a rate pause for 2025,” says Jason Fannon, senior partner at Cornerstone Financial Services. “This neutral stance would keep the average credit card interest rate near 21% annually.”
Compare your credit card debt relief options online now.
…or fall slightly
If the Fed does opt to cut rates, credit card rates could fall too — but likely not significantly.
“I don’t expect any significant change to credit card interest rates,” Fannon says. “If the Fed does cut or raise the Fed Funds rate, it would have to be a sizable move in either direction to change the average credit card interest rate.”
Could credit card rates fall below the 20% mark if the Fed reduces its rate? It’s doubtful, pros say.
“It’s hard to predict beyond 12 months from now but if consumers want to see below-20% rates, then we need a variety of things to align,” says Eric Elkins, founder and CEO of Double E Financial Solutions. “We need inflation to remain below 3% for at least 15 months, we need to see average wage increases above 3%, we probably would need government regulations passed to limit the APR on the credit card institutions, and we’d need the Fed to continue reducing interest rates for borrowers. Lots of things need to occur.”
Other factors that impact your credit card rates
It’s not just the Fed and other economic conditions that weigh on credit card rates. Your credit score can impact what rate you get, too. So, if your score is on the lower end, improving it could help you snag a lower rate on a new card, which you could then transfer your existing credit card balance to.
“Having a good to excellent credit score could make you attractive to other companies,” says Troy Young, founder and president of Destiny Financial Group. “With a high score, you may be able to sell your debt to another company for a lower rate — in other words, refinance it by doing a balance transfer.”
The bottom line
If credit card debt is weighing you down, consider your debt relief options. There are debt consolidation, debt settlement, debt forgiveness and many other strategies that can help you tackle that debt more efficiently. Here are the best debt relief companies to consider if you need professional debt relief guidance.
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