FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2025 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America Registration Update
& 2026 Qualifier Standards Adjustment
BOSTON - Following a successful registration week for the 129th Boston
Marathon presented by Bank of America, the Boston Athletic Association
(B.A.A.) today announces updates pertaining to the next two editions of the
Patriots' Day race.
A total of 36,406 qualifier entry applications were received during
registration week (September 9-13), with athletes from 120 countries and
all 50 U.S. states applying to participate in the April 21, 2025, event.
This total number of applicants sets a new record, surpassing the previous
record of 33,058 qualifier applications received ahead of the 2024 Boston
Marathon.
"The enthusiasm and desire from athletes around the world aiming to
participate in the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America is
unmatched, and is truly what makes the Boston Marathon such a special
event," said Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the B.A.A. "The record
number of applicants indicates the growing trend of our sport and shows
that athletes are continuously getting faster and faster. We look forward
to welcoming 30,000 athletes in their pursuit of the finish line this
April, and we are already planning for a memorable event experience from
start to finish."
Due to field size limitations, not all qualifiers will be accepted into the
129th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. Over the coming weeks,
the Boston Athletic Association will verify all qualifier submissions, and
subsequently athletes will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance via
e-mail by early October. For the 2024 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. accepted
22,019 qualified applicants, while 11,039 applicants were unable to be
accepted.
The B.A.A. will not predict the "cut-off" time needed to gain acceptance
into the 129th Boston Marathon and asks for athletes' cooperation and
patience during this verification process. Athletes are asked not to
contact the B.A.A. to check on the status of their entry unless requested
to do so by a member of our Athlete Services team. When available,
information will be posted to www.baa.org and across the Boston Marathon's
social media channels.
Qualifying Standards Adjustments Announced as 2026 Qualifying Window Begins
After a thorough analysis of Boston Marathon entry data spanning many
years, qualifying results, and marathon race participation globally, the
B.A.A. also announced adjustments to qualifying standards for the 2026
Boston Marathon for athletes ages 18-59.
"As we have witnessed in recent years, the sport of marathoning is growing
and athletes continue to get faster," said Fleming. "At the same time,
demand to participate in the Boston Marathon has steadily grown as well,
and unfortunately in recent years we've had to turn away thousands of
runners who've achieved Boston Marathon qualifying times. After a careful
analysis of results data, we have adjusted the qualifying standards by five
minutes for the 2026 Boston Marathon for athletes under the age of 60.
"Every time the B.A.A. has adjusted qualifying standards - most recently in
2019 - we've seen athletes continue to raise the bar and elevate to new
levels. In recent years we've turned away athletes in this age range
(18-59) at the highest rate, and the adjustment reflects both the depth of
participation and speed at which athletes are running."
Since 1970, the Boston Marathon has featured qualifying standards as a
means of entry. A breakdown of Boston Marathon qualifying standards for
2026 can be found below, while a historical breakdown of qualifying times
can be found here.
Qualifying times for athletes competing amongst the Para Athletics
Division, Adaptive Program, wheelchair division, handcycle, or duo programs
remain the same and can be found here.
The qualifying window for the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of
America, to be held April 20, 2026, opened on September 1, 2024, and will
run through the end of registration week in September 2025. Exact
registration dates and entry procedures for the 2026 Boston Marathon will
be announced following the 2025 Boston Marathon.
2026 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America Qualifying Standards
Times displayed in h:mm:ss, representative of an athlete's net 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
The qualifying window for the 2026 Boston Marathon began on September 1,
2024, and will continue through the conclusion of 2026 Boston Marathon
registration next September. Registration information can be found here,
and historical qualifying details are available here.
Frequently Asked Questions for Athletes
When will official notices of acceptances and non-acceptances be emailed?
Notices of acceptance or non-acceptance will be issued by early October.
When will credit cards be charged? My credit card has been charged/it
appears entry fees have been withdrawn from my bank. What does this mean?
Credit cards will be charged only if accepted into the event. Upon
submission of an athlete's application, their credit card has been
authorized for payment. If an application is accepted, only then will the
credit card be charged the non-refundable, non-transferable, and
non-deferrable entry fee. Athletes may notice a preauthorization draft on a
credit card statement. The actual charge will not appear on the credit card
until their entry has been verified and accepted. Only athletes who are
accepted into the Boston Marathon will be charged the entry fee.
Will 129th Boston Marathon registration re-open to qualifiers?
Registration for the 129th Boston Marathon was open from September 9-13 for
all qualified athletes and will not re-open.
When does registration for the 130th Boston Marathon open?
The 130th Boston Marathon qualifying window began on September 1, 2024.
Registration dates will be announced following the conclusion of the 129th
race.
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