Boston Marathon 2018: How To Track A Runner

BOSTON, MA — So you've got a friend or a colleague who's planning on running the Boston Marathon and now you're wondering just how to track them on the big day so you can cheer them on from afar or find them on the route and maybe, just maybe, give them a high five?

You're in luck, there's technology for that. Runners in most races these days have chips in their bibs that talk to checkpoint mats equipped to record their time with antennae and magnets (check this out for an in depth explainer). When your runner and their bib cross the checkpoint it records their number and the time it took them to get there and pops it off to the internet, the mobile BAA app or sends a text to folks who've signed up for those.

That's right, there are three options.

BAA mobile app

The BAA’s free mobile app sends out alerts after the runner you're tracking (and you can track multiple runners) finishes a 5K (3.2 miles). New this year? Two alerts between mile 20 and 21 as your runner is making their way up Heartbreak Hill.

To sign up, find “live tracking” and “find a participant” then plug in your pal's name. You can add as many as you want.

Text alerts

You can also just get text messages telling you when your runner hits the 10K, half, 30K, 35K, 40K and finish line. All you have to do to sign up is text “runner” to 234567 and then text the bib numbers of the runners you looking to track. (More on how to find that below).

Visit the BAA’s website

And then, if you are at home or near a computer, you can just go to the BAA's website to track your athletes.
Enter your runner’s bib number or name at baa.org, and boom. You'll be set up for the alerts.

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How To Find Your Runner's Bib Number?

You can search the BAA’s entry list.

If you know where your runner lives, you can check out these handy lists:

• Cambridge Runners
• Jamaica Plain Runners
• Charlestown Runners
• Waltham Runners
• Newton Runners
• Brookline Runners

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch