121st Boston Marathon
Distance: 26 miles, 385 yards (42.195 Kilometers)
Principal Sponsor: John Hancock Financial Services
Organizer: Boston Athletic Association
Field Size: The field size limit is 30,000 official participants.
The Course
The legendary Boston Marathon course follows a point-to-point route from rural Hopkinton to Boston and is certified per the guidelines set forth by the Inernational Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and USA Track and Field.
To Qualify
Participants must have run a qualifying time on or after September 19, 2015, at a certified marathon. All participants must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the B.A.A., USA Track and Field or foreign equivalent, and Wheelchair Sports USA. Qualifying times must be met in competitions observing these same rules. Proof of qualification must accompany the application. Participants must be 18 years or older on race day.
Qualifying Times*
| Age Group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 3:05 | 3:35 |
| 35-39 | 3:10 | 3:40 |
| 40-44 | 3:15 | 3:45 |
| 45-49 | 3:25 | 3:55 |
| 50-54 | 3:30 | 4:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:40 | 4:10 |
| 60-64 | 3:55 | 4:25 |
| 65-69 | 4:10 | 4:40 |
| 70-74 | 4:25 | 4:55 |
| 75-79 | 4:40 | 5:10 |
| 80 and Older | 4:55 | 5:25 |
*Qualifying times are based upon age on race day.
Push Rim Wheelchair Qualifying Times*
| Class | Age Group | Men | Women |
| Open (Classes 3 & 4) | 18–39 | 2:00 | 2:25 |
| 40–49 | 2:15 | 2:40 | |
| 50 and Over | 2:30 | 2:55 | |
| Quad (Classes 1 & 2) | 18–39 | 2:45 | 3:10 |
| 40–49 | 3:00 | 3:25 | |
| 50 and Over | 3:15 | 3:40 |
Blind/Visually Impaired Division
The qualifying time is 5:00 hours for visually impaired athletes (men and women) classified T11, T12, and T13.
Mobility Impaired Program
Individuals with physical impairments that affect their ability to ambulate, who would not otherwise qualify for entry in other divisions, may be granted the following extended qualifying times:
- The qualifying time is 6:00 hours for individuals who, because of the nature of their disability, have difficulty ambulating.
- The qualifying time is 8:00 hours for individuals who, because of the nature of their disability, need mobility aids such as prosthetics, leg braces, or crutches to ambulate.
All other individuals with disabilities must follow entry procedures and qualifying standards of either the B.A.A. or the established qualifying standard from the recognized disability sports organization.