Running News Daily

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has confirmed new qualifying standards for the 2026 Boston Marathon, scheduled for April 20, 2026, and they are among the most demanding ever issued in the event’s 130-year history. For runners aged 18 to 59, the time standards have been made five minutes faster than those used for the 2025 race — a reflection of both the extraordinary growth in marathon participation and the deepening field of competitive age-group runners.

These updates reinforce the B.A.A.’s commitment to maintaining the Boston Marathon as the pinnacle of achievement for amateur and professional runners alike. With more applicants qualifying each year than the race can accept, meeting the standard no longer guarantees entry — runners must often exceed the qualifying mark by several minutes to secure a bib.

2026 Boston Marathon Qualifying Standards

Age Group – Men – Women

18–34 – 2:55:00 – 3:25:00

35–39 – 3:00:00 – 3:30:00

40–44 – 3:05:00 – 3:35:00

45–49 – 3:15:00 – 3:45:00

50–54 – 3:20:00 – 3:50:00

55–59 – 3:30:00 – 4:00:00

60–64 – 3:50:00 – 4:20:00

65–69 – 4:05:00 – 4:35:00

70–74 – 4:20:00 – 4:50:00

75–79 – 4:35:00 – 5:05:00

80+ – 4:50:00 – 5:20:00

These standards closely match the official 2026 qualifying table published by the B.A.A. Standards for runners aged 60 and above have changed little or remained consistent with prior years, while younger age divisions (18–59) now face significantly faster requirements.

Meeting these times makes a runner eligible to apply for registration, but acceptance depends on the number of applicants. For the 2025 Boston Marathon, runners needed to be 6 minutes and 51 seconds faster than the posted standard to gain entry. For the 2026 edition, the cutoff narrowed but remained steep — 4 minutes and 34 seconds faster than the standard.

Elite Field Entry

The B.A.A. does not publicly post official qualifying times for elite athletes. Instead, entries are extended by invitation to runners who have recently achieved world-class performances. While not formalized, typical benchmarks for consideration are around sub-2:20 for men and sub-2:45 for women, depending on the depth of the field and prior race results.

Course Adjustments Coming for 2027

Beginning with the 2027 Boston Marathon, new rules will redefine which marathon courses count toward qualification. Races with net-downhill profiles will face time “indexing” to ensure fairness:

• Courses dropping 1,500–2,999 feet: +5 minutes added to finishing time

• Courses dropping 3,000–5,999 feet: +10 minutes added

• Courses dropping 6,000 feet or more: will no longer count as qualifiers

These adjustments, already confirmed by the B.A.A., are designed to standardize qualifying efforts across all marathon courses and eliminate advantages from steep downhill profiles.

What This Means for Runners

For competitive marathoners worldwide, the 2026 standards mark one of the most significant tightening periods in recent memory. The message from the B.A.A. is clear:

• Run faster than ever before.

• Choose a certified, fair course.

• Don’t aim to meet the standard — aim to beat it decisively.

The Boston Marathon remains the benchmark for excellence in distance running. With the 2026 standards now in place and additional adjustments ahead for 2027, the pursuit of a Boston Qualifier (BQ) remains one of the most respected — and challenging — achievements in the sport.