The event ran along the same winding course the Marathon has followed for many decades ‍—‌26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km) of roads and city streets, starting in Hopkinton and passing through six Massachusetts cities and towns, to the finish line beside the Boston Public Library, on Boylston Street in Boston's Copley Square.

[4][5] Lelisa Desisa, who won Boston in 2013 and 2015, and 21-year-old Lemi Berhanu Hayle led the men's field for most of the race.

Hayle pulled ahead of Desisa off the Massachusetts Turnpike into Kenmore Square at 25 miles (40 km), maintaining his lead to take the finish line.

[7][8] In the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug won his second Boston Marathon in a three-way finish with ten-time winner Ernst van Dyk and Kurt Fearnley.

Tatyana McFadden won her fourth successive title, a full minute ahead of Manuela Schär and 2015 runner-up Wakako Tsuchida.