The Boston Athletic Affiliation (B.A.A.) reported Monday it had won 36,406 packages for registration into the 2025 Boston Marathon, breaking all earlier data. In consequence, the group introduced it could tighten the qualifying usual for all runners below 60 through 5 mins, and those new requirements will follow to each the 2026 and 2027 editions of the race. (The criteria for runners over 60 won’t alternate.)
Qualifying requirements for the 2026 Boston Marathon
Notice: the qualifying requirements confer with chip time (i.e., web time).
| AGE GROUP | MEN’S STANDARD | WOMEN’S STANDARD | NON-BINARY STANDARD |
| 18-34 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 | 3:35:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 | 3:45:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 | 4:00:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:50:00 | 4:20:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:05:00 | 4:35:00 | 4:35:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:20:00 | 4:50:00 | 4:50:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:35:00 | 5:05:00 | 5:05:00 |
| 80 and older | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 | 5:20:00 |
Registration for the 2025 race came about final week (it ended Friday and is now closed), with packages from runners in 120 nations and 50 U.S. states. The former file for applicactions was once 33,058, set final 12 months for this 12 months’s race.
“The keenness and need from athletes all over the world aiming to take part within the Boston Marathon offered through Financial institution of The us is unrivaled, and is actually what makes the Boston Marathon the sort of particular tournament,” B.A.A president and CEO Jack Fleming mentioned in a press unencumber. “The file selection of candidates signifies the rising development of our game and displays that athletes are regularly getting quicker and quicker. We sit up for welcoming 30,000 athletes of their pursuit of the end line this April, and we’re already making plans for a memorable tournament enjoy from begin to end.”
Minimize-off for 2025 nonetheless TBD
The B.A.A. has now not but decided what the “cut-off” time had to be accredited into the 2025 race can be (i.e., the volume during which runners will have to exceed their qualifying time with a view to be accredited), and requested runners to be affected person because it varieties via registration packages. This knowledge will ultimately be posted at the group’s website online and social media channels, and runners who’ve implemented for registration for 2025 will obtain an e mail reaction on their acceptance or non-acceptance through early October.
In 2024, simplest 66 consistent with cent of Boston candidates had been accredited into the race–the second-lowest acceptance price within the tournament’s historical past.
Boston Marathon registration opens subsequent week: will you qualify?
The qualifying window for the 130th Boston Marathon offered through Financial institution of The us, to be held April 20, 2026, opened on Sept. 1 and is going via to the top of registration week in September 2025.
The Boston Marathon has had qualifying requirements since 1970. For more info at the historical past of the race’s qualifying requirements, click on right here.
Qualifying instances for athletes competing among the Para Athletics Department, Adaptive Program, wheelchair department, handcycle, or duo systems won’t alternate, and may also be discovered right here.
The 2025 Boston Marathon will happen April 21.