The Boston Marathon: Qualifying, Course Guide & Race Coverage

About the Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, first held in 1897 and inspired by the revival of the marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Organized by the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), it is held every year on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April.

What sets Boston apart from other World Marathon Majors is its qualifying standard. Unlike New York, London, or Chicago — where entry is primarily by lottery — Boston requires runners to prove their ability by running a qualifying time. This makes earning a Boston bib one of the most coveted achievements in recreational running.

The 2026 race was the 130th running, won by John Korir in 2:01:52 and Sharon Lokedi in 2:18:51, both defending their titles. The 131st Boston Marathon is on Monday, April 19, 2027.

Boston Marathon Qualifying Times

To run Boston, you must first run a qualifying time (a “BQ”) at a certified marathon during the qualifying window. The BAA sets different standards by age group and gender.

Meeting the BQ standard doesn’t guarantee entry. For 2027, accepted qualifiers needed to beat the standard for their age group by at least 5 minutes and 17 seconds, the B.A.A. said on September 29, 2026, as it began emailing decisions. The 2027 race also adds something new: about 1,000 runners who beat their standard but missed the cutoff will get in through a random draw.

Read more: the 2027 cutoff, the 2027 qualifier field by the numbers and why the new lottery tells the truth about the BQ.

For the complete list of qualifying times for every age group, our BQ Standards & Cutoffs guide has everything you need, including historical cutoff data and tips for running your qualifier.

The Boston Marathon Course

The Boston Marathon follows a point-to-point course from Hopkinton to Boston’s Copley Square. The route passes through eight cities and towns: Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and Boston.

The course begins with a significant downhill in the first 4 miles — a trap for runners who go out too aggressively. The middle miles roll through suburban towns before the infamous Newton Hills arrive between miles 16 and 21, including the legendary Heartbreak Hill at mile 20.5. The final 5 miles are predominantly downhill as the course enters Brookline and finishes on Boylston Street.

For a detailed mile-by-mile breakdown with pacing strategy, read our Boston Marathon Course Strategy guide.