As Emma Bates prepares for the 2025 Boston Marathon, she reflects on past performances with one goal in mind: securing a spot on the podium.

The Boston Marathon holds a special place in Emma’s heart. For her, these 26.2 miles mean more than just another race—they represent a chance to build on her 2023 performance as the top American and push onto the global stage. After high hopes for 2024 were interrupted by an injury, Emma has turned that setback into a lesson, refining her approach as she builds toward Boston once again. With insights from both success and adversity, she’s more determined than ever to make 2025 her year.

"Boston is completely different from my other podium at Chicago. The pride around Boston is global—it would almost feel like standing on an Olympic podium."

- Emma Bates

2023: A New Approach

Emma took on Boston for the first time in 2023, and the race demanded a fresh strategy.

“I had never trained for a spring marathon before. I didn’t know what to expect. We really wanted to focus on the hills to get my quads ready... I had never done downhill routes before because most of my past marathons were flat."

In addition to hill training, Emma incorporated more interval work to prepare for the surges that naturally occur on Boston’s rolling terrain.

“I did a lot of fartleks to simulate race effort. During the race, I was able to respond to moves, settle back in, and hold my ground. Before, I wouldn’t have been able to do that, but this approach made a huge difference.”

Her preparation paid off—Emma finished in the top five, claiming the title of top American in her Boston debut.

2024: Learning from Setbacks

The road to Boston isn’t always smooth. During the winter of 2023-2024, Emma suffered a foot injury, forcing her to shift her approach to cross-training sessions on the bike.

“My coach and I focused on effort. I did all my training based on heart rate to keep up my cardio while I couldn’t run.”

Despite limited run training, she toed the line in Hopkinton with her signature mindset.

“The biggest thing is believing I’ll give 100% no matter what. I never have regrets as long as I know I gave everything I had.”

Emma pushed hard early in the race, applying lessons from 2023.

“I went out a little too hard, too soon. In 2023, I felt like I held back and might have left something on the table. Learning from both experiences, I’m aiming to fine-tune my pacing based on effort heading into this year.”

2025: Using Data to Dial It In

Since 2022, Emma has tracked every step of her training with her COROS watch, using real data to guide her approach.

“Being able to look back at my numbers gives me confidence. I know when I’m where I need to be, and I can fine-tune my training accordingly. That’s huge.”

Effort Pace: Mastering the Newton Hills

Boston 2023

Boston 2024

A key metric Emma is tracking for 2025 is Effort Pace, particularly through the Newton Hills. In 2023, she averaged a 4:30 Effort Pace through this section, compared to 4:43 in 2024. Now, she’s training at a slightly faster pace on climbs, using data to ensure she’s prepared to stay with the lead pack.

“Effort Pace helps me dial in my effort—both on the downhills and the uphills. Even when I slow on an incline, the effort remains constant. The key for these next nine weeks is knowing exactly what that effort feels like so I’m fully prepared on race day.”

COROS Education: Effort Pace adjusts your pace based on terrain and your personal efficiency, factoring in heart rate to provide a realistic gauge of effort across hills.

Intervals: Surging with the Lead Pack

Emma’s interval work played a key role in her success in 2023, and she’s doubling down on it in 2025. Knowing the ability at the front of the pack, she will continue to incorporate this approach in preparing for excellence on the biggest stage.

“I need to be able to surge and recover quickly to stay with the lead pack. My watch keeps me accountable so I can focus on effort rather than constantly checking my pace.”

COROS Education: You can program structured workouts into your COROS watch, ensuring you hit your target pace and effort. Post-workout accuracy scores provide insights into your execution.

Base Fitness: Peaking at the Right Time

With multiple years of data at her fingertips, Emma can compare her current fitness to past builds. She’s already matching her 2024 fitness levels, with her biggest workouts still ahead.

“This data helps me see where I am and where I need to be. It’s a great motivator and a blueprint for my goals.”

COROS Education: Base Fitness is a 42-day average of your training load, reflecting your aerobic fitness. Tracking it over time helps athletes gauge their readiness for peak performance.

Key Workouts: Building Race-Day Confidence

Key Workout - February 2025

One of Emma’s final steps in her build is race-effort long runs, extending up to 18-20 miles at marathon effort.

“Right now, I’m at 12 miles, but I’ll build to 18-20. If I can nail this, I know I’m ready to contend.”

COROS Education: Within the COROS App or Training Hub, athletes can analyze workouts, track progress, and gain confidence in their ability to perform on race day.

Final Thoughts on Boston

As Emma builds toward 2025, she’s leaving nothing to chance—optimizing every aspect of her training, recovery, and mindset.

“I’m incorporating more training data, but I’m also prioritizing recovery—massages, physio, chiropractic work, all of it. The most important thing is knowing I did everything possible to get to the start line ready.
In 2023, I never imagined I’d finish top five, but when I trusted myself, it became one of my best days. If I walk away from this build knowing I gave everything, I’ll be proud—no matter the result.”

COROS: Helping You Perform at Your Best

COROS products empower athletes with the tools to train smarter. With the COROS App, you can track your progress, analyze trends, and gain deeper insights to reach your potential. If you’re looking to elevate your training in 2025, explore COROS devices and find the right one for you.