Boston Qualifying Time — Men Ages 80+
Running a 4:50 marathon at 80 or older and qualifying for Boston is, simply, remarkable. This is not a category with many qualifiers, but the runners who achieve it demonstrate what consistent, lifelong endurance training produces. The WMA age grade for this performance is genuinely elite for this age group.
Quick answer: The 2026 BQ standard for Men ages 80+ is 4:50:00. This requires an RPI of 30 — equivalent to 30:41 5K fitness. Training paces: easy 12:56/mi, threshold 9:55/mi, interval 8:33/mi. WMA age grade: 66.9%.
2026 BQ Standard
4:50:00
Men ages 80+
RPI
30
WMA Grade
66.9%
Equiv 5K
30:41
Training paces for a 4:50:00 BQ
All zones computed from RPI 30 via the Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost formula.
Calculated from Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost equations. Easy pace means “this pace or slower.”
Equivalent race fitness
Predicted equivalent times at other distances for an athlete with RPI 30. Assumes comparable distance-specific training.
5K
30:41
9:53/mi
10K
1:03:50
10:16/mi
Half Marathon
2:21:19
10:47/mi
Training approach for a 4:50:00 BQ
Men 80+ who are training for marathon qualifying are primarily managing recovery between efforts. Long runs, done at easy pace and extending as far as the body recovers from, are the foundation. Threshold work — once every two weeks — maintains the aerobic ceiling. Every hard effort must be earned with several easy days before it and several after it.
Calculate your current training paces
Enter your current race time to see your training zones and how close you are to BQ-level fitness.
Training Pace Calculator
About the BQ cutoff
Running a BQ time opens the registration window — it does not guarantee entry. BAA applies a cutoff buffer each year based on how many runners qualify relative to available field spots. For the most accurate and up-to-date cutoff information, refer to the official BAA registration page at baa.org during the registration window for your target race year.
BQ paces are calculated — your training data makes them personal
The Daniels/Gilbert formula gives the training zones for 4:50:00 fitness. StrideIQ tracks whether your specific training is actually building toward that standard — which threshold sessions produce your best adaptation, how quickly you recover between hard efforts, and when your fitness is peaking. Population formulas start the conversation. Your training data finishes it.
Common questions
What training paces does a 4:50:00 BQ require for men 80+?
For a 4:50:00 marathon BQ (RPI 30): Easy 12:56/mi, Marathon 10:31/mi, Threshold 9:55/mi. At 80+, marathon training pace (10:31/mi) is reserved for the final miles of prepared long runs. All other running accumulates at easy pace.
What WMA age grade is a 4:50 marathon for men 80+?
A 4:50:00 marathon at age 80 scores 66.9% WMA age-graded. The WMA factor at age 80 is substantial — a 4:50 marathon represents competitive performance relative to world-record standards for octogenarian runners. The BAA standard is calibrated appropriately for this.
How many men 80+ typically qualify for Boston each year?
The 80+ field at Boston is small — typically dozens of runners worldwide, not hundreds. Qualifying requires sustained fitness that very few runners maintain into their 80s. Those who do are typically lifetime runners with decades of consistent training. This is not a time that can be built toward from scratch in the late 70s — it is maintained.
Other BQ age groups
BQ standards: Boston Athletic Association 2026 (verified 2026-02-26). Training paces: Daniels/Gilbert oxygen cost equations (1979). WMA age-grading: Alan Jones 2025 standards.