The Boston Athletic Association sets qualifying standards by age group and gender. Running a BQ time opens the registration window — but entry is not guaranteed. Each year, BAA applies a cutoff buffer based on how many runners qualify relative to the available field. The table below shows the official 2027 standards. Click any age group to see the training paces and fitness profile that standard requires.
How to use this: Find your age group and gender in the table below. Click the time to see the exact training paces (easy, threshold, interval) required to build that fitness, plus WMA age-graded equivalents and equivalent times at 5K, 10K, and half marathon.
| Age Group | Men | Women & Non-Binary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Source: Boston Athletic Association 2027 qualifying standards. Verified against baa.org 2026-09-26.
Running a BQ time is the first gate. The BAA requires you to run the standard for your age group at a certified marathon within the qualifying window (roughly September through the following September for the next year's race).
The second gate is the cutoff. When registrations open, runners submit their qualifying times. If more runners qualify than the field allows, BAA fills spots starting with those who ran most under their BQ standard. The cutoff varies annually — check the official BAA registration updates for the current year's exact figure.
From the 2027 race, the course counts too. Times from courses with 1,500 feet or more of net downhill carry an added index: 5 minutes for 1,500 to 2,999 feet, 10 minutes for 3,000 to 5,999 feet. Courses with 6,000 feet or more of net downhill do not qualify.
The practical implication: a BQ time is a floor, not a guarantee. Most runners who want confident entry target 5–10 minutes under their standard.
A Boston Qualifying (BQ) time is the BAA-set marathon standard for your age group and gender. Running a BQ is necessary but not sufficient for entry — BAA applies a cutoff buffer each year based on how many runners qualify. The table above shows the official 2027 standards.
No. The BAA requires a BQ time to register, but entry is competitive: when more runners qualify than the field allows, BAA applies a cutoff buffer, accepting only those who ran the most under their BQ standard. In recent years the cutoff has ranged from about 2 to 7 minutes under the BQ standard. Check the official BAA site for the current year's cutoff.
Most coaches recommend targeting 5–10 minutes under your BQ standard to have a reasonable probability of entry. Training for exactly the BQ time is a ceiling race; training well below it — and racing conservatively — is the realistic strategy.
The 2027 Boston Marathon is held on Patriots' Day in April 2027. Its qualifying window ran from September 13, 2025 to September 18, 2026. Check baa.org for the next registration timeline.
BQ standards from the Boston Athletic Association official qualification page. Training paces computed via StrideIQ's RPI equations. WMA age-grading from Alan Jones 2025 standards.