Boston Qualifying Marathons 2026–2027: 2028 BQ Finder

Boston 2028 qualifying window and 2027 result

The Boston year and the calendar year are not the same thing. A marathon run in late 2026 or during much of 2027 may count toward Boston 2028 if it meets the B.A.A. rules and falls inside the qualifying window.

Boston 2028 qualifying standards

The B.A.A. has announced the same standards for Boston 2028 as Boston 2027. Your standard is based on your age on April 17, 2028, not your age when you run the qualifying race. The submitted result is your official net time.

These are application standards, not guaranteed entry times. If qualified applicants exceed the available places, the accepted cutoff can be faster.

Good places to start your BQ search

The fastest course on paper is not automatically the best race for you. Travel, weather, field size and the kind of course you can train for matter too.

What actually counts as a Boston qualifying marathon?

A race calling itself a marathon does not automatically make it a Boston qualifier. The event and your result must meet the B.A.A. requirements.

• The course must be certified by USATF, AIMS or the national governing body for distance running in that country.
• It must be a full 26.2-mile or 42.195-kilometre outdoor marathon with at least three official starters.
• The event must be publicly advertised and use an accepted form of official timing.
• Virtual races, indoor marathons, treadmills and private time trials do not count.

How the downhill adjustments work

The B.A.A. used the following net-downhill rules for Boston 2027. It says the indexes for Boston 2028 may change. The finder therefore labels affected races by downhill band instead of promising a final adjustment.

Check the official B.A.A. qualifying rules before registering for a race solely to chase a BQ.

Before you register for a BQ race

Use this finder to build a shortlist. Then complete these checks on the official race and B.A.A. websites before paying for entry, flights or a hotel.

How to choose a BQ-friendly marathon

1. Start with the Boston window. Make sure the race date fits the Boston year you are targeting.
2. Check the goal against current fitness. Use a recent result and the Race Time Calculator as a reality check. A prediction is useful evidence, not a promise.
3. Choose the course you can train for. Flat courses simplify pacing, rolling courses can still be fast, and downhill races need specific preparation.
4. Check weather and race execution. Look at wind, humidity, start time, aid stations, corrals and whether there will be runners near your goal pace.
5. Keep the trip manageable. Easy travel, a quiet hotel, familiar food and a simple start can help more than chasing a small elevation advantage.
6. Verify before paying. Recheck the official date, certification, registration status and current B.A.A. rules.

After you choose a BQ race

A fast course only helps if your goal, training, pacing and fuelling fit your current fitness. Use the tools you need. You do not have to open all of them at once.

Compare more marathon calendars and course guides

How this BQ finder is maintained

RunningGearLab keeps each race edition in a shared marathon database. We use official organiser pages for dates and entry links, and we add a future edition only after an exact date is published.

BQ labels and downhill notes are checked against race information and current B.A.A. rules. They are meant to help you build a shortlist. The official race organiser and the B.A.A. remain the final sources for eligibility.

Dates, routes, certification and registration status can change after publication. If you find something that needs correcting, contact us and include the official source.