On Monday, April 20, 2026, runners from across the world will participate in the 130th running of the Boston Marathon, one of the oldest and most competitive road races in the country.

To get into marathon mode, Harvard Law Today reached out to students who will be competing on Monday to hear what they had to say about the experience of training and qualifying, and what running means to them.


Annabelle Hutchinson

“I have always wanted to run a marathon, and I feel unbelievably lucky that Boston will be my first. Law school and marathon training have a lot in common (namely, the need for persistence and discipline!), and it was refreshing to train my body as diligently as HLS has trained my brain. Long runs are a great way to build gratitude, and I certainly hope to maintain the habit. To all the non-runners out there: You can do it, I promise!”

Josh Rotenberg

“I’ve lived in the Boston area for the last 20 years. To me, running the Boston Marathon is the perfect way to round out my time here before moving after graduation. However, I knew I didn’t just want to run the race, but wanted to support an organization that means so much to me: Boston Children’s Hospital. Being a former patient, I’ve seen firsthand how Boston Children’s invests in our community while providing the best care from the kindest people. I couldn’t imagine a better first marathon than one with the Miles for Miracles team.”

Jonathan Tucker

“Running the Boston marathon has always been on my bucket list. I qualified in October 2024, so this race has been over a year in the making! Running has been such a core part of my life as a law student — I run every morning before class and have made some great friends through the running community at HLS. I truly can’t think of a more special way to round out my time as a law student!”


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