Event Information

Event Information

Date: Monday, April 16, 2012

Start Times: Varies. Wave 1 starts at 10 a.m.; Wave 2 starts at 10:20 a.m; Wave 3 starts at 10:40

Registration: The 2011 event filled on October 18 in 8 hours and 3 minutes. Please review the new registration process for the 2012 Boston Marathon below.

Course: Follows a point-to-point route from rural Hopkinton to Boston and is certified per the guidelines set forth by the IAAF and USA Track and Field.

Weather: The average high during the month of April the Boston area is 56 F and the average low is 40F.  Temperature swings are common in New England in the spring.

New Registration Information: For the 2012 Boston Marathon, registration will begin on Monday, September 12 and will not close until Friday, September 23 (Time of day TBD).

The qualifying times for the 2012 Boston Marathon won't change from recent years, but the new registration process will accommodate those who are the fastest qualifiers first.

Registration will occur on a “rolling admission” schedule, beginning with the fastest qualifiers. On the first day of registration for the 2012 Boston Marathon, those who are eligible for entry by having met the qualifying standards for their age and gender group by 20 minutes or more will be able to enter on the first day of registration (September 12).  On the third day (September 14), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by 10 minutes or more.  On the fifth day (September 16), registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standards by five minutes or more. During this first week of registration, applicants will be notified as they are accepted and their qualifying performance verified.

Once the registration window is closed, the fastest runners in relation to the qualifying standard to their age/gender will be entered into the race once their times are verified.  The field size for the 2012 Boston Marathon will not represent a significant increase from the most recent years.

Registration Process for the 2012 Boston Marathon

If the field size is not reached after the first week and additional space remains, then registration will open to all qualifiers at the beginning of Week Two (September 19) and those who have met the qualifying standards by any amount of time will be able to apply for entry. The application process will remain open for the entire week, closing on Friday, September 23. At the conclusion of Week Two, those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender will be accepted.  Accepted athletes will be notified on September 28.

If space remains available after this two week process, registration will remain open to any qualifier on a first come, first served basis until the maximum field size is reached.

Registration for the 2013 Boston Marathon will begin on Monday, September 10, 2012.

For the 2013 Boston Marathon, qualifying times are more stringent, and must be run on or after September 24, 2011. Like the 2012 registration process, the acceptance of official race entrants will be based on qualifying times, with the fastest qualifiers (in relation to the qualifying time for their age and gender) being accepted first until the race is full. All qualifying times are subject to review and verification.