Desiree Linden was the first American woman since 1985 to win the Boston Marathon after putting the field in her rear view in a dominant showing on a rainy afternoon. For her efforts, she’ll earn $150,000 in prize money.
How much did Des Linden and Yuki Kawauchi earn for winning the 2018 Boston Marathon?
It’s a six-figure payday for running 26.2 dang miles through the storm.


The champions of both the men’s and women’s divisions take home $150,000 at America’s most prestigious race. They can bump that by an extra $50,000 for a new marathon world record or $25,000 for a new Boston Marathon course record — though neither performance was in the cards Monday as freezing rain and constant winds ravaged the field. Second place earned $75,000, meaning more than half the total $830,500 purse would go to just four runners.
Third place finishers take home $40,000, while fourth and fifth place earn $25,000 and $15,000, respectively.
2018 Boston Marathon payouts
Overall place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1 | $150,000.00 |
| 2 | $75,000.00 |
| 3 | $50,000.00 |
| 4 | $25,000.00 |
| 5 | $15,000.00 |
| 6 | $12,000.00 |
| 7 | $9,000.00 |
| 8 | $7,400.00 |
| 9 | $5,700.00 |
| 10 | $4,200.00 |
| 11 | $2,600.00 |
| 12 | $2,100.00 |
| 13 | $1,800.00 |
| 14 | $1,700.00 |
| 15 | $1,500.00 |
Masters athletes — runners over the age of 40 — get paid out to the top five places.
2018 Boston Marathon masters payouts
Masters place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000.00 |
| 2 | $5,000.00 |
| 3 | $2,500.00 |
| 4 | $1,500.00 |
| 5 | $1,000.00 |
In the push-rim wheelchair division, the prize money extends to the top 10 places for both men and women.
2018 Boston Marathon push rim wheelchair payouts
Masters place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1 | $20,000.00 |
| 2 | $10,000.00 |
| 3 | $5,000.00 |
| 4 | $2,500.00 |
| 5 | $1,250.00 |
| 6 | $900.00 |
| 7 | $800.00 |
| 8 | $700.00 |
| 9 | $600.00 |
| 10 | $500.00 |











