The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) has announced a major change to its Boston Marathon qualifying rules that will affect thousands of runners.
Beginning with the 2027 race cycle, performances run on significantly downhill courses will be adjusted to account for the advantage provided by elevation loss.
In a statement released on Monday, June 16, the BAA explained that the new policy will go into effect with the opening of the 2027 qualifying window on September 13, 2025.
“Through research and analysis of data from 2022 to the present. We’ve confirmed that runners who qualify on courses with 1,500 feet or more of net elevation drop have a notable advantage over those running on flatter or uphill routes,” the BAA said.
Under the new guidelines
Races with 1,500–2,999 feet of drop will have five minutes added to finishing times for Boston qualification. Courses dropping between 3,000–5,999 feet will see ten minutes added to submitted times. Also, Any marathon with more than 6,000 feet of net elevation loss will no longer be eligible as a qualifier.
This adjustment is particularly relevant for events known for their steep descents, such as those in the Revel race series. This include Salt Lake City (Utah), Big Bear (California), and Las Vegas (Nevada). The elevation drops often exceed 5,000 feet. At the 2023 Revel Big Bear Marathon, over 40% of finishers qualified for Boston.
Meanwhile, other well-known downhill marathons that fall within the affected range include the St. George Marathon in Utah (with more than 2,500 feet of descent), the Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon in Washington (over 2,000 feet), and the Jack and Jill’s Downhill Marathon (roughly 2,100 feet).
Not all downhill races will be affected, however. The Boston Marathon itself has a net loss of about 460 feet. The California International Marathon (CIM), a favorite among those chasing Boston Qualifiers (BQ), features only 304 feet of descent, both well below the threshold.
The announcement follows another round of qualification changes made in September 2024. However, the BAA tightened standards by five minutes for runners aged 18 to 59 for the 2026 edition. Standards for runners aged 60 and above remained unchanged.
Registration for the 2026 Boston Marathon will take place from September 8 to 12, 2025. The race set for April 20, 2026. The 2027 edition will be on April 19, 2027.