SplitLab

Boston Qualifier Calculator

5:00under

3:05:00BQ

Men 40 · 40–44 · 3:00:00 · 5:00 under · BQ 3:05:00

No net-downhill index

yr
Whole years, 18 through 120. B.A.A. uses age on Boston race day, then maps it into the official band.
Marathon chip/net time as h:mm:ss. Default 3:00:00. Optional downhill index is added before the margin.
Finish
3:00:00
BQ standard
3:05:00

Men 40–44

Margin
5:00 under
BQ pace
7:03 /mi

7:03 /mi · 4:23 /km

Versus the standard

Men 40 on race day (40–44) · finish 3:00:00 · 5:00 under a 3:05:00 BQ.

Meeting the standard does not guarantee entry; B.A.A. may set a cut-off. Not affiliated with the B.A.A.

Official 2026/2027 B.A.A. table. Chip/net time, certified outdoor marathon. Even-pace splits on the marathon pace calculator. WMA % on the age grade calculator.

Marathon pace · Age grade · Predictor · Pace · Fueling.

Worked examples

  • Men 40 · 3:00:00

    5:00 under · BQ 3:05:00 · band 40–44

  • Men 40 · 3:05:00

    on standard

  • Women 40 · 3:30:00

    5:00 under · BQ 3:35:00

  • Men 18 · 2:55:00

    on standard · open band 18–34

Standards

Official B.A.A. qualifying times for the 2026 and 2027 Boston Marathons — the two years share one table. Age is age on race day, not today. The time is chip/net from a certified outdoor full marathon. This page is not a training table and is not affiliated with the B.A.A.

  • margin = BQ standard − (finish + downhill index)
  • positive margin = under the standard
  • Men 40–44 = 3:05:00 · Women / non-binary 40–44 = 3:35:00
  • 2027 index: +5:00 at 1,500–2,999 ft net downhill, +10:00 at 3,000–5,999 ft

Meeting the standard does not guarantee entry; the B.A.A. may set a cut-off. Even-pace splits for a goal marathon live on the marathon pace calculator. WMA age grade is a different table on the age grade calculator. Predictor · pace · fueling.

FAQ

What is a Boston qualifying time?

A Boston Qualifier (BQ) is an official B.A.A. marathon standard for your age and gender on Boston race day. This page uses the 2026 and 2027 tables, which are identical. Men 40 in 3:00:00 is 5:00 under the 3:05:00 standard. There is no Calculate button; the margin updates live.

Is age the age I am today?

No. The B.A.A. uses age on Boston Marathon race day. Pick the integer age you will be that Monday in April, then this calculator maps it into the official band (18–34 through 80+). Minimum age to run Boston is 18 on race day.

Chip time or gun time?

Chip/net time on a certified outdoor full marathon. Indoor, virtual, treadmill, and time-trial marathons do not count. The course must be certified by USATF, AIMS, or the national governing body where the race is held.

If I hit the standard, am I in?

No. Meeting the standard lets you apply. The B.A.A. may set a cut-off faster than the published standard when more qualifiers apply than the field can take. This calculator is not affiliated with the B.A.A. and does not predict the cut-off.

What is the net-downhill index?

Starting with 2027 registration, a verified time from a course with 1,500–2,999 ft net downhill gets +5:00 added after you submit; 3,000–5,999 ft gets +10:00. Courses with 6,000 ft or more net downhill are not eligible. Default on this page is no index.