Next race
Monday, 19 April 2027
10:00 am start
Distance
42.195 km / 26.2 mi
Point-to-point road
Elevation
Net downhill · 248 m gain
248 m climbing
Race profile
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and the only major requiring qualification for most runners. Starting in Hopkinton and finishing on Boylston Street, the course features the challenging Heartbreak Hill and legendary New England crowd support. It is the pinnacle race for competitive amateur marathoners.
Boston Marathon is a certified 42.195 km (26.2 mile) marathon — the standard World Athletics marathon distance.
Approximately 26k finishers
Course & terrain
The Boston Marathon is the classic point-to-point course from Hopkinton Green to Boylston Street, dropping net downhill through the western suburbs before the four Newton hills culminate at Heartbreak Hill near mile 20. The early half can feel deceptively fast, and spectator support crests at the Wellesley scream tunnel, along Commonwealth Avenue, and in the packed finish on Boylston.
The Boston Marathon course is net downhill over 42.195 km (26.2 miles). Runners cover 248 metres of climbing and 388 metres of descent, with a net descent of 140 metres from start to finish.
Net downhill · 248 m gain — approx. 50 m above sea level
↑ 248 m · ↓ 388 m · net −140 m
Registration
For the Boston Marathon, a BQ time is the age-group qualifying standard set by the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), ranging from 3:00 for men aged 18–34 to 5:25 for women 80 and over. However, simply meeting the standard rarely guarantees entry — because demand significantly exceeds the ~30,000-place field, runners typically need to beat their standard by 2–5+ minutes to receive an invitation in recent years. Qualifying times must be run at a certified marathon within the registration window.
Getting there
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
4 km / 3 mi
Race footage
Common questions
Official resources
Last updated 11 October 2026. Edition dates and course details are reviewed regularly.
Close to this race
Other races closest to Boston.
The Baystate Marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier favourite, drawing about 1,700 finishers each October on a fast point-to-point from Lowell to Chelmsford through northeastern Massachusetts. The net-downhill course follows the Merrimack River valley with cool October New England weather. It is one of the fastest autumn marathons in the northeastern United States.
Next race: Sunday, 18 October 2026
The Granite State Marathon draws approximately 63 finishers each November on an urban road in Nashua, United States. Nashua's Granite State Marathon serves southern New Hampshire runners on a certified urban loop. The course tours Nashua neighborhoods, riverfront roads, and southern New Hampshire city streets. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Saturday, 8 May 2027
Cheap Marathon draws approximately 550 finishers each April on a scenic road in Derry, United States. Millennium Running's flat rail-trail marathon ranks among the nation's top Boston-qualifier percentages with a time-trial start. The flat out-and-back course uses the Windham and Derry Rail Trail for two marathon loops. Gentle undulations are the only breaks on an otherwise flat profile.
Next race: Saturday, 3 April 2027
The Providence Rhode Races Marathon draws approximately 568 finishers each May on an urban road in Providence, United States. Rhode Races' Providence marathon returns runners to the capital region on a certified Boston-qualifier course. The course tours Providence and East Providence waterfront roads, city neighborhoods, and Narragansett Bay connectors. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 2 May 2027
The Manchester City Marathon draws approximately 572 finishers each November on an urban road in Manchester, United States. New Hampshire's largest marathon is Millennium Running's Queen City Boston qualifier through the state's biggest city. The course tours Manchester's Millyard, North End, Merrimack River crossings, and Goffstown Rail Trail connectors. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Sunday, 8 November 2026
The Red Island Marathon draws approximately 49 finishers each March on an urban road in Warwick, United States. Rhode Island's early-spring marathon in Warwick serves local runners on a compact certified loop. The course tours Warwick neighborhoods and Narragansett Bay shoreline roads. Rolling terrain with moderate climbs shapes the middle miles.
Next race: Saturday, 17 April 2027
Planning guides
Practical guides to help you plan, train for, and run this race.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors series, the Six Star Medal, qualifying paths, and how to approach racing the world's biggest city marathons.
How Boston qualifying standards work, why cut-off times often run faster than the published BQ, and how to plan a qualifying attempt.
Which US marathons produce Boston qualifiers in practice — course data, typical BQ rates, and how to match a race to your qualifying window.
