BQ Calculator
Find your Boston qualifying time, understand the cutoff buffer system, and calculate your realistic target time for 2026-2027.
Starting with 2027, downhill courses receive time penalties.
Official BQ Standard
3:00:00
35-39 Male • 2026-2027
Recommended Target
2:53:00
7 min buffer
Safe Target
2:50:00
10 min buffer
Meeting the BQ standard doesn't guarantee entry. The BAA accepts runners in order of how far under the standard they finished. Here's how cutoffs have trended:
Race canceled due to COVID
Reduced field, October race
Limited qualifying opportunities
Post-pandemic recovery
Standard qualifying year
Record rejections (12,324)
Standards tightened by 5 min
Key insight: In 2025, the cutoff was 6:51—meaning you needed to run nearly 7 minutes faster than your BQ standard to secure a spot. Over 12,000 qualified runners were rejected.
Standards were tightened by 5 minutes for ages 18-59 starting with the 2026 race.
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:50:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:05:00 | 4:35:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:20:00 | 4:50:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:35:00 | 5:05:00 |
| 80+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
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Tips for BQ success
- Target 7-10 minutes under your BQ standard for realistic acceptance odds based on recent trends.
- Choose a fast course—Berlin, Chicago, and Valencia are popular BQ-hunting races.
- Avoid excessive downhill courses—starting with 2027, times from courses with significant elevation drop receive penalties.
- Age up strategically—if you're turning 35, 40, etc. before race day, you'll qualify under the easier standard.