2019 Boston Marathon® Qualifier Acceptances Adjustments to Future Boston Marathon Qualifying Standards Also Announced

The Boston Marathon continues to be the toughest marathon for which to qualify in the known world. And it has become tougher for 2019. The release notes how toughr it was to get into 2019 Boston Marathon.

Meb Keflezighi, Jared Ward, Galen Rupp, 2017 Boston Marathon, photo by Photorun.net

2019 Boston Marathon^® Qualifier Acceptances

Adjustments to Future Boston Marathon Qualifying Standards Also Announced

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today continued its notification to applicants of their acceptance into the 2019 Boston Marathon^®. In preparation for the 2019 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. implemented the same registration process for qualified runners as it used in the 2012 through 2018 Boston Marathons, allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first. The 123^rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019 and will mark the 34^th consecutive year that the event will have John Hancock as its principal sponsor.

Qualifiers who were four minutes, 52 seconds (4:52) or faster than the qualifying time for their age group and gender have been accepted into the 2019 Boston Marathon. A total of 23,074 qualified applicants have been accepted to date or are in the process of being accepted, pending verification of their qualifying performance.

A total of 30,458 applications were received during the registration time period for qualifiers, a significant increase from recent years. With the increase in applications received, 7,384 qualifiers were unable to be accepted due to field size limitations. In cooperation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon route, the B.A.A. has set the field size for the 2019 Boston Marathon at 30,000 official entrants.

More than 80% of the 2019 Boston Marathon field will be comprised of athletes who have met the qualifying standards. The balance will consist of invitational entrants, including runners participating as part of the Boston Marathon’s Official Charity Program and John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program, as well as invited elite athletes. Participants who ran on behalf of more than 260 non-profit organizations raised $36.6 million for charity at the 2018 Boston Marathon.

After thoroughly reviewing this year’s applications, and comparing this year’s submission data to trends seen in the past five years, the B.A.A. also today announced adjusted qualifying standards for all age groups looking ahead to the 2020 Boston Marathon. This data-informed assessment and decision factors in the increase of faster times run by Boston Marathon qualifiers; the number of applicants within each age division and gender; and the annual number of applications received since 2014. Qualifying standards will be five minutes faster for all age groups, starting with the 2020 Boston Marathon.

“For countless runners, participating in and completing the Boston Marathon is a life-long athletic goal. We look forward to welcoming 30,000 participants from across the globe to the 123rd running of the Boston Marathon next April,” said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. Chief Executive Officer. “The B.A.A. has worked hard to ensure an equitable and fair process for gaining entry into the Boston Marathon. Due to the unprecedented support and interest in being part of next year’s race, the B.A.A. unfortunately is unable to accept all deserving participants who achieved hard-earned qualifying times. We thank them for their running efforts and desire to run with us.”

Grilk continued: “We have adjusted the qualifying standards for the 2020 Boston Marathon, as the number of marathoners who have submitted applications to run the Boston Marathon has increased significantly during the most recent two registration years. We forecast the interest in running Boston as continuing. We know that the running community pays close attention to our qualifying times for their age group because they are important factors in their training, racing and race selection. As such, for the 2020 Boston Marathon, adjustments to all age group qualifying standards will be five minutes (5:00) faster than previous standards.”

Since 1970, the Boston Marathon has featured qualifying standards as a means of entry. The last time the B.A.A. updated qualifying standards was for the 2013 race, when all qualifying times regardless of age and gender were lowered by five minutes. A breakdown of adjusted Boston Marathon qualifying standards can be found below.

Registration for runners who met the B.A.A.’s Qualifying Standards for the 2019 Boston Marathon began on Monday, September 10 using a “rolling admission” schedule and continued through Saturday, September 15. Registration re-opened on Monday, September 17 and application submissions were received through Wednesday, September 19. Registration for the Boston Marathon is not first-come, first-served, but rather allows for a more systematic and orderly application procedure with the fastest qualifiers of those who submitted entries accepted.

• 30,458 applications were received during the registration period for qualifiers.
• 23,074 qualified applicants have been accepted to date or are in the process of being accepted, pending verification of their qualifying performance.
• 7,384 applicants were unable to be accepted due to the large number of eligible qualifiers who submitted an application for entry combined with field size limitations.
• This year’s ‘Cut-Off’ time needed to gain entry into the Boston Marathon was 4 minutes, 52 seconds or faster than the qualifying time for each respective age group and gender.

During the registration period, the breakdown of accepted Qualifiers was as follows:

• 5,256 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or faster.
• 8,620 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 10 minutes, 00 seconds or faster.
• 8,545 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 05 minutes, 00 seconds or faster.
• 220 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 4 minutes, 52 seconds or faster.
• 433 Qualifiers were accepted based on finishing 10 or more consecutive Boston Marathons.
• 270 Qualified Athletes with Disabilities have been accepted, or are expected to be accepted, through the conclusion of the Athletes with Disabilities registration period.

Qualifying performances for the 2019 Boston Marathon must have been run between September 16, 2017 and September 19, 2018. Notices to those accepted will be issued by the B.A.A via e-mail.

For reference, qualifiers needed to be three minutes, 23 seconds or faster than their age group and gender for the 2018 Boston Marathon; two minutes, nine seconds or faster for the 2017 Boston Marathon; two minutes, 28 seconds or faster for the 2016 Boston Marathon; one minute, two seconds or faster for the 2015 Boston Marathon; and one minute, 38 seconds or faster for the 2014 Boston Marathon. A history of Boston Marathon qualifying standards and cut-off times can be found here. Notices to those who submitted an application for entry but who were not accepted were also issued today.

2019 BOSTON MARATHON: Men’s Qualifying Standards and Accepted Times*

2019 BOSTON MARATHON: Women’s Qualifying Standards and Accepted Times*

* Qualified entrants for the 2019 Boston Marathon must have met the designated time standard that corresponds with their age group and gender in a certified marathon on or after September 16, 2017. Proof of qualification must accompany each athlete’s application, and participants are required to be 18 years or older on Boston Marathon race day.

2020 BOSTON MARATHON: Updated Men’s and Women’s Qualifying Standards

The qualifying window for the 2020 Boston Marathon began on Saturday, September 15, 2018, and will continue through the conclusion of 2020 Boston Marathon registration next fall. Registration dates for the 2020 Boston Marathon will be announced next year. Please note that the new qualifying standards do apply to valid marathon times run at races between September 15, 2018 and this announcement.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.)

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs, including high performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners participate in B.A.A. events annually. The 123^rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.