How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon
/A brief history of qualifying times for the Boston Marathon
It’s one of the most sought after accolades of the everyday runner. You run your first marathon and then you get bombarded with questions on if you’re going to run the Boston Marathon. It’s Patriots Day in Massachusetts and you get a text asking if you’re out there, saying they’ll be cheering for you at the top of Heartbreak Hill because you’re the runner they expect to have qualified. Many of us have been there, sitting back on the couch watching the elites toe the line on tv, and responded with a long winded explanation of how, even though you did qualify the past four years, you didn’t make it past the dreaded bubble - the time under the published qualifying times that you really had to run to claim your spot in Hopkington.
If you can relate, you probably don’t need to be reading this post, but feel free to share it the next time someone asks you when you’re finally going to run Boston. If you’re just starting your journey and doing your best to bring you times down or just curious what it would take to get into this prestigious event, welcome - I’ve put together the history of Boston Marathon qualifying times, what the bubble (or cutoff) means, and how the whole process works so, even if you don’t make it this year, you can be prepared for the next.
What is the Boston “Cut-Off Time”?
The cut-off time (or “bubble” as some refer to it) is the amount of time below the qualification standard that your qualification time will have to beat. During the registration process, spaces reserved for qualifying athletes are filled based on the delta between the qualifying standard and the time an applicant has run. Once the field is filled, applicants will be rejected and the delta at which the first applicant is rejected becomes the “cut-off time”. The larger the delta, the more likely you are to be accepted.
There is not always a cut-off, with the concept only being introduced in 2012 along with rolling admission allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first. 2023 has been announced as the most applied to Boston Marathon race in history, with over 33,000 applicants, so it is likely that there will a cut-off in 2023.
History of Cut-Off Times
Year | Field Size | Cut-Off Time | Qualifiers not Accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
2024 | 30,000 | 5:29 | 11,039 |
2023 | 30,000 | 0:00 | 0 |
2022 | 30,000 | 0:00 | 0 |
2021 | 20,000* | 7:47 | 9,215 |
2020 | 31,500 | 1:39 | 3,161 |
2019 | 30,000 | 4:52 | 7,384 |
2018 | 30,000 | 3:23 | 5,062 |
2017 | 30,000 | 2:09 | 2,957 |
2016 | 30,000 | 2:28 | 4,562 |
2015 | 30,000 | 1:02 | 1,947 |
2014 | 36,000** | 1:38 | 2,976 |
2013*** | ?? | ?? | ?? |
2012 | 27,000 | 1:14 | 3,228 |
* Reduced field due to covid restrictions.
** Increased field to allow runners unable to finish due to the Boston Marathon Bombings
*** Data not reported by the B.A.A. - assume this is a 0:00 cut-off.
What are the Boston Marathon Qualifying Times?
The qualifying times have changed significantly since they were first introduced in 1970 to limit the field size to 1,000 athletes. The initial time for all ages was 4 hours but as race popularity, and running in general, increased, that time has dropped significantly over the past 50+ years.
Qualifying for the 2025 Boston Marathon
Missed the qualification window and looking to the future? The actual qualifying times for 2025 won’t be announced until after the 2024 race, but the qualification window started on September 1, 2023. Any qualification times run before that date will not be allowed for 2025 entry.
The qualifying times for the 2024 Boston Marathon
Qualification Window: To qualify for the 2024 Boston marathon, you must have run a previous marathon between September 1, 2022 - September 15, 2023. The course must be a certified full marathon distance to be accepted. The B.A.A. accepts certified courses by the USATF, AIMS, and other foreign equivalents. See a list of Boston Marathon Certified Courses.
Age Group | Men | Women | Non-Binary |
|---|---|---|---|
18-34 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 | 3:30:00 |
35-39 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 | 3:35:00 |
40-44 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 | 3:40:00 |
45-49 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 | 3:50:00 |
50-54 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 | 3:55:00 |
55-59 | 3:35:00 | 4:05:00 | 4:05:00 |
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+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 | 5:20:00 |
When is registration?
Registration for Boston Marathon qualifiers usually opens up mid-September.
When do I need to qualify by?
Typically the qualifying window for the Boston Marathon is September 1st of the previous year through the start of registration - typically mid September of the following year.
The History of Boston Marathon Qualifying Times
Source: https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/qualify/history-qualifying-times
2020 - Present
Age Group | Men | Women | Non-Binary* |
|---|---|---|---|
18-34 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 | 3:30:00 |
35-39 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 | 3:35:00 |
40-44 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 | 3:40:00 |
45-49 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 | 3:50:00 |
50-54 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 | 3:55:00 |
55-59 | 3:35:00 | 4:05:00 | 4:05:00 |
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+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 | 5:20:00 |
* Non-Binary division introduced for the 2023 Boston Marathon
2013 - 2019
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
18-34 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 |
35-39 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
40-44 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 |
45-49 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
50-54 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
55-59 | 3:40:00 | 4:10:00 |
60-64 | 3:55:00 | 4:25:00 |
65-69 | 4:10:00 | 4:40:00 |
70-74 | 4:25:00 | 4:55:00 |
75-79 | 4:40:00 | 5:10:00 |
80+ | 4:55:00 | 5:25:00 |
2003 - 2012
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
18-34 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
35-39 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 |
40-44 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 |
45-49 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
50-54 | 3:35:00 | 4:05:00 |
55-59 | 3:45:00 | 4:15:00 |
60-64 | 4:00:00 | 4:30:00 |
65-69 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
70-74 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
75-79 | 4:45:00 | 5:15:00 |
80+ | 5:00:00 | 5:30:00 |
1990 - 2002
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
18-34 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
35-39 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 |
40-44 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 |
45-49 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
50-54 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
55-59 | 3:35:00 | 4:05:00 |
60-64 | 3:40:00 | 4:10:00 |
65-69 | 3:45:00 | 4:15:00 |
70+ | 3:50:00 | 4:20:00 |
1987 - 1989
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
18-39 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
40-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
50-59 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 |
60+ | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
1984 - 1986
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
19-39 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
40-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:30:00 |
50-59 | 3:20:00 | 3:40:00 |
60+ | 3:30:00 |
1981 - 1983
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
19-39 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
40-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:30:00 |
50-59 | 3:20:00 | |
60+ | 3:30:00 |
1980
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
19-39 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
40+ | 3:10:00 |
1977 - 1979
Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
19-39 | 3:00:00 | 3:05:00 |
40+ | 3:30:00 |
1972 - 1976
All Divisions - 3:30:00 - 1972 was the first year qualification standards were set for the women’s race.
1971
All Ages - 3:30:00
1970
All Ages - 4:00:00 - The first year that athletes had to qualify for the Boston Marathon
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