FILE - Sharon Lokedi, of Kenya, approaches the finish line to win the women's division of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 21, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

BOSTON — The weather looks good, Sharon Lokedi is fit and the fastest field in Boston Marathon history could push her to a second straight course record — if she decides to go for it.

A year after shattering the women’s mark by more than 2¢ minutes, the defending champion will head to the starting line in Hopkinton today for the 130th edition of the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. Reigning men’s champion and fellow Kenyan John Korir also is back to lead a field of more than 30,000 on the 26.2-mile race to Boston’s Copley Square.

Cool weather and an expected tailwind will greet them in Hopkinton — perhaps the ideal conditions for more fast times like last year, when Lokedi finished in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds to break the 11-year-old course record and deprive runner-up Hellen Obiri of a third straight win. Korir’s 2:04:45 was the third-fastest ever as he joined his brother to become a Boston Marathon champion.

“Last year was crazy fast, so I don’t know if it will be the same thing this year. But whichever one, I’m excited for,” Lokedi said this week as she prepared to defend her title. “You never know. I feel like that is always determined by when you get to the start line.”

Joining her there will be what is being called the strongest field in race history.

The entire men’s podium and seven of the top 10 finishers from last year are back, including runners with three of the top eight times in race history. Eight women in the field have run a sub-2:20 marathon — times that would have been a course record in Boston until a year ago.

“Yeah, it’s stacked,” American competitor Alex Maier said.

The Americans are showing their strength as well.

There are 12 U.S. men with personal bests below 2:10. Four — including 2017 Boston runner-up Galen Rupp and last year’s seventh-place finisher, Clayton Young — have run 2:08 or faster; those would be Boston bests until Geoffrey Mutai’s then-world best of 2:03:02 in 2011.

Two of the three American women who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and last year’s world championships are in the field. (Fiona O’Keeffe dropped out on Sunday with a hamstring issue). In all, seven U.S. women have beaten 2:25 and three have personal bests below 2:22 — Emily Sisson, Sara Hall and Susanna Sullivan.

“I am just so honored to be a part of this growth in women’s U.S. distance running, especially in the marathon,” said Jess McClain, who was the top American woman last year. “It just makes us all so much better.”