Do you have big dreams of running a marathon? Whether you’ve been in the running community for quite some time or you’ve recently embarked on a fitness journey and a long-distance run is on your goal list, the Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious marathons and sporting events in the USA.
In this article, we are going to be sharing with you everything that you need to know about qualifying for the Boston marathon, as well as some additional information that will ensure you get the very most out of your marathon experience – including how to register, cut-off times and much more.
Let’s jump right in!
What Are The Boston Marathon Rules By Age And Gender?
When it comes to qualifying for the Boston Marathon, there are two different categories:
- Male – Must be between 18 and 70 years old on race day.
- Female – Must be between 17 and 69 years old on race day
If you fall into one of these categories, you can apply for the race online. There are four different ways that you can do so:
- Online application via bostonmarathon.com/apply
- Application form sent directly to you by mail (US residents only)
- Application form emailed to you by email
- Application form submitted through an agent
Once you have completed the application form, you will receive confirmation of whether you have been accepted or not. If you are, you will then be able to sign up for a qualifying run.
Qualifying Times For Male And Female Runners
Male runners must be between the ages of 18 and 70 on race day. They must have run at least two half marathons within the last three years, and they must have finished a full marathon within the past eight years.
Females must be between the ages of 17 and 69 on race day. They, too, must have run at least 2 half marathons within the last 3 years, and they must finish a full marathon within the last 8 years.
For both men and women, the qualification time depends on their age on race day. If you are under 30 years old, then you will need to achieve either a sub-4 hour time or a sub-3:30 time.
However, if you are older than 30 years old, then the qualifying times are slightly different.
For males aged 31-39 years old, the qualifying times are between 4 hours and 15 minutes to 6 hours and 20 minutes.
Males aged 40-49 years old must achieve a qualifying time of between 4 hours and 25 minutes to 5 hours and 45 minutes.
Males 50 years old and above must achieve either a running time of between 5 hours and 55 minutes to 6 hours and 10 minutes.
For females aged 31-39 years, the qualifying times are between 3 hours and 35 minutes to 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Females aged 40-49 years must achieve a qualifying run time of between 3 hours and 55 minutes to either 4 hours and 45 minutes, while females 50 years old and over must achieve a qualifying time of between 5 hours and 55 minutes to 6 hours and 10 minutes.
Qualifying Times For Male And Females Aged 70+
There are no qualifying times for those who are older than 70 years old. However, if you wish to participate in the Boston Marathon, then you may still be eligible to enter the race even if you are older than 70 years.
To find out more about whether, or not, you will be able to run in the next Boston Marathon, we recommend that you reach out to an official Boston Marathon representative so that you can find out whether, or not, you will be able to qualify.
How Many People Qualify For The Boston Marathon?
The figure tends to vary each year, however, to give you an idea – there were approximately 40,000 applicants last year. Of these, only 2,500 qualified to run in the Boston Marathon.
The remaining 38,500 people either did not meet the qualification criteria or failed to submit their applications on time.
What About The Qualifying Time Cut Off?
If you’ve been competing in the Boston Marathon for the last few years (or you’re simply part of the running community) you might have heard that the Boston Marathon has a cut-off limit for certain applicants that meet the requirements and quality for the run.
The main reason for this cut-off to occur over the past couple of years is that the number of applicants who have qualified for the race has exceeded the field limit.
As a result, some runners have been forced to withdraw from the race due to a lack of space.
With that being said, to keep things as fair as possible, a cut-off time is calculated by the Boston Marathon board. This is done by subtracting a calculated number from each individual qualifying time across each race class.
Then, all the race times that do not meet the cut-off time will be disqualified from running and will need to re-apply the following year.
Usually, the cut-off time is established and created after applications have already been submitted, and runners have already qualified.
Wrapping Up
The Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious races in the world. It’s also one of the oldest marathons in existence.
With a record of having hosted the first marathon back in 1897, it’s safe to say that the Boston Marathon is one of America’s greatest sporting events.
We hope that this article helps you better understand how to qualify for the Boston Marathon, as well as gain a better insight into cut-off times, and how that might impact your ability to qualify.
Thank you for reading, and good luck!
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