This is it – the day that qualified Boston Marathon runners have been waiting for for a very long time (though maybe some of you just made it under the qualifying day wire?)! This is the day that the 2019 Boston Marathon registration opens.
However, even if you have a qualifying time, it may not be time for you just yet to jump in with your $200+ and registration form! Read here to find out what you need to know!
The 2019 Boston Marathon Registration Is Now Open – What You Need to Know
Make sure you check back throughout the week as I will be writing posts to layout hotel and airline options and how to nail down your travel to the 2018 Boston Marathon – for (almost) free!
The 2019 Boston Marathon Registration Procedure
It is strange to think that, not to long ago, a marathoner could actually run a qualifying race as late as March and still run that year’s Boston Marathon! In fact, it was called the Last Chance Marathon (actually, if you haven’t qualified yet, there may still be a chance with one of these races yet to come).
Now, registration opens and closes in September – seven months before the Boston Marathon. This year’s registration procedure is the same as the last few years – a rolling registration that opens each day based on the amount of time the runner cleared the qualification time.
Confused about anything? Try out this quick and easy calculator to see exactly when you will be able to register for the 2019 Boston Marathon!
Facts
- Race Day – April 15, 2019
- Registration opens – September 10, 10:00AM
- Race Fee – $200 for US residents, $250 for international residents
- Qualification window for the 2019 Boston Marathon – September 24, 2018 – registration closes (earlier if the field fills the week before)
- Field Size: 30,000 official runners
- Registration Application – BAA
| Age Group | MEN | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
| 35-39 | 3hrs 10min 00sec | 3hrs 40min 00sec |
| 40-44 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
| 45-49 | 3hrs 25min 00sec | 3hrs 55min 00sec |
| 50-54 | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
| 55-59 | 3hrs 40min 00sec | 4hrs 10min 00sec |
| 60-64 | 3hrs 55min 00sec | 4hrs 25min 00sec |
| 65-69 | 4hrs 10min 00sec | 4hrs 40min 00sec |
| 70-74 | 4hrs 25min 00sec | 4hrs 55min 00sec |
| 75-79 | 4hrs 40min 00sec | 5hrs 10min 00sec |
| 80 and over | 4hrs 55min 00sec | 5hrs 25min 00sec |
The Important Dates for the 2019 Boston Marathon Registration
- Monday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. ET – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or more are able to submit an entry form.
- Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. ET – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 10 minutes, 00 or more are able to submit an entry form.
- Friday, September 14, 10:00 a.m. ET – Qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by 5 minutes, 00 or more are able to submit an entry form.
- Saturday, September 15, 10:00 p.m. ET – Registration closes for Week 1.
- Monday, September 17, 10:00 a.m. ET – If space remains, all qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by any amount of time are able to submit an entry form. The fastest runners among submissions from Week 2 will be accepted until the maximum field size is reached.
- Wednesday, September 19, 5:00 p.m. ET – Registration closes for Week 2.
- Monday, September 24, 10:00 a.m. ET – If space remains after the first two weeks of registration, all qualifiers who have met the qualifying standard by any amount of time are able to submit an entry form. During Week 3, submissions will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis until the maximum field size is reached.
What It All Means for You
Remember, registration remains open for the qualified entrants until the field is full. If it is full with those who beat the time by 10 minutes (which it won’t be), then those who beat it by 5 minutes will not be able to enter. For the first two weeks of registration, all entries are not first-come-first-served but are processed by qualifying time. So, if you were to register on September 15 at 10:01AM with a qualifying time +30 seconds clearance, your entry time will not allow you to beat out the individual who had a 80 second clearance time on their qualifying time.
However, if there is still space available, when the registration reopens on September 24, it will be first-come-first-served.
Historically, it has been seen that that final wave of registration dates, Week 3 starting September 24, will not be needed. Last year, it bumped up to a 3 minute and 23 second clearance! That meant that qualifying with a 3 minute cushion over your official qualifying time would not have been enough!
That was a jump from the year before so do not be surprised if we see it climb to over a 4 minute clearance window. In this case, we could soon be getting to a single week of registration at some point.
What You Need for the 2019 Boston Marathon Registration
REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR REGISTRATION
- Your legal full name (if you recently had a name change, please register under the name you qualified under. Upon your acceptance please email the B.A.A. to have your application updated accordingly)
- Birthdate
- Mailing address and phone number
- Email address
- Your qualifying race name, date run, and your qualifying time (please provide your net/chip time)
- Two emergency contact names and phone numbers (must be two different phone numbers)
- Your credit card information (we ONLY accept Visa and Mastercard)
- The registration fee is $200 USD for U.S. residents and $250 USD for internationals residents.
Good luck and enjoy the process. Remember, whether you make it into the 2019 Boston Marathon or not, you are still a Boston Marathon-qualifed runner! Congratulations! Make sure you check back throughout the week to see how you can get your 2019 Boston Marathon travel for (almost) free!
Featured image courtesy of Marcio Jose Bastos Silva via Shutterstock
