On June 16, 2025, the Boston Athletic Association announced major changes to the qualifying standards for the 2027 Boston Marathon registration window, aimed at leveling the playing field for all runners.
Starting with the 2027 qualifiers, marathon times from courses with significant net downhill elevation will face time adjustments:
- +5 minutes added for courses with 1,500 to 2,999 feet of net drop
- +10 minutes added for courses with 3,000 to 5,999 feet of net drop
- Courses with over 6,000 feet of net downhill will be banned from counting as Boston qualifiers
This update follows the 2026 tightening of qualifying times by five minutes for runners under 60. The B.A.A. made these changes after reviewing recent data showing runners gain an unfair advantage on steep downhill courses. Popular races like the REVEL series and Mt. Charleston marathons will feel the impact of these new adjustments.
With Boston’s field capped around 30,000 runners and demand rising, this is the most significant qualifying change in years — effectively ending strategic “course shopping” for fast, gravity-assisted marathons and reshaping the Boston qualifying landscape.