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Suni Williams to Run 2026 Boston Marathon, Receive BAA Patriots' Award

The retired astronaut returns to a hometown stage after a nine-month Starliner stay ended with a SpaceX ride home.

Overview

  • The Boston Athletic Association said Thursday that the Needham native has entered the 130th edition, scheduled for April 20 from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay.
  • Organizers will present Williams with the Patriots’ Award, which honors a New England–based figure for patriotic, philanthropic, and inspirational contributions.
  • Her most recent flight began as Boeing’s first crewed Starliner test and stretched to roughly nine months because of thruster issues before a March 2025 return aboard SpaceX.
  • Williams retired from NASA at the end of 2025 after 27 years, having logged 608 days in space and 62 hours across nine spacewalks.
  • She has a distinctive running record from orbit, including completing a 26.2-mile effort in 2007 and a seven-mile Falmouth Road Race in 2024 on the ISS treadmill.