We hear so much about what it’s like to run the Boston Marathon for the first time—The hills, brutal! The crowds, deafening! The finish line, euphoric!—but what’s it like to actually get to the starting line of the most iconic foot race on the planet?
We checked in with six first-time participants preparing for the Monday, April 17 event—both elite and non-elite—to take the pulse on how they are feeling less than two weeks out from race day. Here’s what came up.
Erika Kemp | The First-Time Marathoner
Erika Kemp is a 28-year-old professional runner who resides in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, where she’s lived for the last five years. Born in New Jersey, Kemp ran track and cross-country at North Carolina State and became a six-time NCAA All-American. She’s racked up many running accolades during her career—including winning U.S. titles at 15K and 20K—and has already qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, with a 1:10:14 finish at the Houston Half Marathon this past January.
This will not only be her first time running Boston; it’ll be her first time ever taking aim at the…
