History of the Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, having been run every year since 1897. It is also one of the most prestigious marathons, with qualifying standards that are among the toughest in the world. In order to even be eligible to register for the Boston Marathon, runners must meet certain qualifying standards.

Qualifying Times

The qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon are as follows:
You must meet the qualifying time for your age group on the day of the race.

All runners must meet the age requirement of 18 years or older on the date of the race in order to register. There is no maximum age limit for registration.

Please note that meeting the qualifying standards does not guarantee entry into the race as registration is still dependent on availability of space. Runners who have met the qualifying standards are given priority during registration.
Qualifying times are based on age and gender, and are displayed below:

18-34……………….3hrs 00min 00secs
35-39……………….3hrs 05min 00secs
40-44……………….3hrs 10min 00secs
45-49……………….3hrs 20min 00secs
50-54……………….3hrs 25min 00secs
55-59 ………………3hrs 35min 00secs
60-64 ………………3hrs 50min 00secs
65-69 ………………4hrs 05min 00secs
70-74 ………………..4hrs 20min 00secs
75-79 ………………..4hrs 35min 00secs
80+ …………………..4hrs 50min 00secs

Women’s Qualifying Times

Women may add 30 minutes from these times. If you cannot provide verifiable proof of meeting these standards when requested by race officials prior to or during race week, you will not be allowed to participate in the event.

Prestige of Running the Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious marathons in the world with qualifying standards that are among the toughest to meet. Runners must have achieved a qualifying time at a certified marathon within a certain window depending on their age group. All runners must also be 18 years or older on race day. Meeting the qualifying standards does not guarantee entry into the race as registration is still dependent on availability of space. Runners who have met the qualifying standards are given priority during registration. For more information on certified marathons and verifying your qualifying time, please visit www.baa.org . Good luck!