Runners hoping to qualify for the 2026 Boston Marathon are going to have to pick up the pace.
The Boston Athletic Association has updated its qualifying times for the world's oldest annual marathon, asking most prospective competitors to run a 26.2-mile race five minutes faster than in recent years to earn a starting number.
"Every time the BAA has adjusted qualifying standards - most recently in 2019 - we've seen athletes continue to raise the bar and elevate to new levels," Jack Fleming, president and CEO of the BAA, said in a statement posted Monday. "In recent years we've turned away athletes in this age range (18-59) at the highest rate, and the adjustment reflects both the depth of participation and speed at which athletes are running."
The BAA introduced qualifying times in 1970 and has expanded and adjusted the requirements through the decades. Runners participating in the event to raise money for charity do not have to meet the qualifying standards.
The latest change means men between the ages of 18 and 34 will have to run a marathon during the qualification window in 2 hours, 55 minutes or faster to earn a spot in the 2026 race - five minutes faster than for this year's edition.
