Famous Faces to Watch at the 2025 Boston Marathon

BOSTON — Almost 32,000 runners, including celebrities and sports legends, will tackle the challenging course of the 2025 Boston Marathon on Patriots’ Day. From Olympians to local sports heroes, this year’s race promises exciting stories and inspiring causes.

Among the noteworthy competitors is Drew Carter, the play-by-play voice for the Boston Celtics on NBC Sports Boston. Carter is participating to support the Shamrock Foundation, which aids children in need. He has raised $5,364 of his $10,000 goal. Reflecting on the event, Carter shared, “I just thought it was the coolest scene ever. It felt like the whole city was there.”

Another prominent runner is Zdeno Chara, the former captain of the Boston Bruins. At 6 feet 9 inches, he’s hard to miss and aims to complete his third Boston Marathon. In his earlier appearances, he finished with a 3:30:53 and a 3:11:04 at the London Marathon just days later. Chara has since taken up Ironman triathlons, furthering his athletic journey.

Former Olympic figure skater Alice Cook will run her second Boston Marathon this year. Diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in December 2023, Cook remains determined to advocate for the ALS community. She stated, “I am trying to find peace by letting go. The ‘why’ of this is less important to me than the ‘now.’”

Matt James, the first Black male lead of “The Bachelor,” will also compete. After finishing 12th in “Dancing With The Stars,” he transitioned to running marathons, including last year’s New York Marathon. This will be his second Boston Marathon.

Professional golfer Scott Stallings sees the marathon as a personal milestone, celebrating his 40th birthday while raising funds for Golf Fights Cancer. Stallings remarked, “This is the first time in my life I’ve ever had the time and attention to train for something like this.”

Paula Radcliffe, a former marathon world record holder, returns to the Boston course to pursue her Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal. Wearing bib 215 to honor her 2003 world record time of 2:15:25, she recently clocked a strong performance at the Tokyo Marathon.

Henry Richard, brother of the victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, continues to honor his brother’s memory by participating with Team MR8. He expressed commitment to support young athletes overcoming adversity.

Shane Sager, harmonica player for Sting, is back to raise funds for pediatric cancer research while aiming to improve his previous time of 4:08:08. Meanwhile, Troy Hoyt, grandson of Dick Hoyt, runs to celebrate his family’s legacy of inclusion for disabled athletes.

Emily Maher, a reporter for WCVB, will run to benefit the organization aiding individuals with paralysis, drawing from her experiences covering inspiring stories.

Other notable participants include Brian Diemer, a bronze medalist at the 1984 Olympics, and blog influencers Lexi Watts, Isabelle Jensen, and Lizzie Ramey, who bring their colorful energy to the running community.

As the race approaches, Kenyans Evans Chebet, a two-time champion, and 2023 winner Hellen Obiri are also among those competing for the top spot, making their mark on Boston’s storied marathon history.