8 Best Boston Qualifying Marathons You Can Actually Get Into (2027)

When I got into running, I immediately went for the longest distances I could. I've finished seven 100-milers and three 200-milers. But then I got into shorter, faster stuff, and I wanted to qualify for Boston. In 2024, I did it, running a 2:51 at the Jersey City Marathon.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to run Boston in 2025. I was in the middle of my Guinness World Record, running a half marathon every day on the same treadmill, so I couldn't travel.

Why run Boston?

Boston is one of the World Marathon Majors and one of the most historic races in all of running. It's also an extremely difficult challenge to qualify for. You can't just sign up. You have to earn your spot.

Why these 8 (and not CIM or Chicago)

If you've searched for Boston qualifiers before, you've seen CIM and Chicago on every list. They're great courses, but I only wanted races people can actually get into. The 2026 CIM is sold out, and Chicago uses a lottery for most runners. Houston and Grandma's are already sold out for 2027.

Every race on this list is first come, first served, with no lottery. As of October 20, 2026, none of them is sold out for 2027. Some haven't opened registration yet, and a few sell out fast, so sign up the day registration opens. Jersey City is the only one on this list I've run.

How Boston qualifying works

• The window: The qualifying window for Boston 2028 (April 17, 2028) opened September 19, 2026, and runs through registration week in September 2027. A marathon after registration week counts for Boston 2029 instead.
• The standard: The 2028 standards are the same as 2027. For ages 18 to 34, that's 2:55:00 for men and 3:25:00 for women, and the standard gets more generous as you age. Your age group is your age on Boston race day, not on the day you qualify.
• A BQ isn't a guaranteed spot: When more people apply than there are spots, the fastest runners relative to their standard get in. For 2027, runners needed to be about 5 minutes under their standard.
• Downhill courses: A net drop of 1,500 to 2,999 feet adds 5 minutes to your time, and 3,000 to 5,999 feet adds 10. Every race on this list drops less than 1,500 feet.

At a glance

BQ rate is the share of 2025 finishers who ran a Boston-qualifying time (MarathonGuide; Napa from FindMyMarathon). Registration status as of October 20, 2026.

1. Mesa Marathon

• Where: Mesa, AZ
• When: February 13, 2027, 6:30 a.m.
• Course: Point to point, nearly 1,000 ft net downhill
• 2025: 3,207 finishers, 18% qualified

The first chance on this list, and one of the fastest. The course starts below the giant PHOENIX sign on Usery Mountain and runs downhill through the desert to Riverview Park. It drops nearly 1,000 feet, which is well under Boston's 1,500-foot adjustment, so your time counts as is.

Registration is limited and first come, first served, and the race has sold out before.

Sign up for the Mesa Marathon →

2. Napa Valley Marathon

• Where: Calistoga to Napa, CA
• When: March 7, 2027, 7:30 a.m.
• Course: Point to point on the Silverado Trail, 303 ft net downhill
• Cutoff: 6 hours
• 2025: 1,478 finishers, 13% qualified

A point-to-point course down the Silverado Trail, starting in Calistoga and finishing in Napa, through the vineyards the whole way. It's gently downhill, with a net drop of about 300 feet, and the bus ride to the start is included with registration.

Registration is open, but the organizers say every distance sells out, so don't wait on this one.

Sign up for the Napa Valley Marathon →

3. Jersey City Marathon

• Where: Jersey City, NJ
• When: April 18, 2027, 7 a.m.
• Course: Flat loops along the waterfront and through Jersey City's neighborhoods
• 2025: 3,017 finishers, 17% qualified

This is where I qualified, so it's my favorite on the list. It was just a great race. It was really cool being right next to New York City, the temperatures were great, and it's extremely flat.

It's a busy city, so there's a lot going on around you, and that was fun. The race is officially a 2028 Boston qualifier. It has sold out the last two years, so register early.

Sign up for the Jersey City Marathon →

4. Eugene Marathon

• Where: Eugene, OR
• When: April 25, 2027, 7 a.m.
• Course: Starts next to Hayward Field and finishes on its track, 417 ft of total climbing
• Time limit: 7 hours
• 2025: 3,792 finishers, 19% qualified

Eugene calls itself TrackTown, and you finish on the track inside Hayward Field, the home of the U.S. track and field championships. The course is mostly flat.

It's a week after Jersey City, so it's a good backup if your spring race doesn't go to plan.

Sign up for the Eugene Marathon →

5. Sugarloaf Marathon

• Where: Eustis to Kingfield, ME
• When: May 16, 2027
• Course: Point to point along the Carrabassett River, rolling hills from miles 5 to 10, then 980 ft of downhill over the last 16 miles
• Field: Capped at 1,500
• 2025: 383 finishers, 34% qualified

A small race with one of the highest BQ rates on this list: about a third of the field qualified in 2025. It runs down Route 27 along the Carrabassett River in western Maine. The first 5 miles are relatively flat, miles 5 to 10 roll, with a two-mile climb at mile 8, and then it's a gradual downhill for the last 16 miles.

Registration for 2027 hasn't opened yet. With only 1,500 spots, sign up as soon as it does.

Sign up for the Sugarloaf Marathon →

6. Erie Marathon

• Where: Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA
• When: September 2027 (date TBA; 2026 was September 13 at 7 a.m.)
• Course: Two loops of Presque Isle, about 10 ft between the highest and lowest points
• Field: Capped at 2,000
• 2025: 1,104 finishers, 35% qualified

About as flat as a marathon gets: two loops around Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie. Over a third of the field qualified in 2025, the highest rate of any open race on this list.

It's held in September, right before Boston registration week. If your spring race doesn't go to plan, this is the one to circle. It's run by volunteers and capped at 2,000, and registration hasn't opened yet.

Sign up for the Erie Marathon →

7. Last Chance BQ.2 Marathon (Grand Rapids)

• Where: Millennium Park, Grand Rapids, MI
• When: September 2027 (date TBA; 2026 was September 13 at 7 a.m.)
• Course: A 4.05-mile loop on a wide, paved, mostly shaded path along the Grand River
• Field: Capped at 330
• Time limit: 4.5 hours
• 2025: 142 finishers, 69% qualified

This race exists for one reason: to get you to Boston. It's held right before Boston registration week, on a flat loop with aid stations every lap, and about 7 out of 10 finishers qualified in 2025.

It's not for everyone, though. To sign up early, you need a recent marathon that already meets your Boston standard. In 2026, that requirement was waived in mid-June, but the organizers still say not to sign up unless you can run a BQ. There are no refunds, deferrals or transfers. If you're right on the edge of your standard, this is your last shot.

Sign up for the Last Chance BQ.2 →

8. Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

• Where: Indianapolis, IN
• When: Early November 2027 (date TBA; 2026 is November 7 at 8 a.m.)
• Course: Flat and fast, through downtown and historic neighborhoods
• Registration: Opens 12:01 a.m. ET on January 1, 2027
• 2025: 6,679 finishers, 21% qualified

The biggest race on this list, and a flat, fast one. About one in five finishers qualified in 2025. Because it's in November, after Boston registration week, a BQ here counts for Boston 2029, not 2028.

Registration opens at midnight on New Year's Day. The 2026 race is sold out, so be ready when it opens.

Sign up for the Monumental Marathon →

My 3 tips to qualify for Boston

• Hire a coach. This is the most important one. I hired my friend Jeremy Miller, who had run a lot of fast marathons. I did exactly what he said, and I was able to accomplish the goal.
• Add one speed workout every week. I did mine on Wednesdays. I started out with VO2 max work, then moved into threshold.
• Do a long marathon-pace workout once or twice a month. Go 14 miles or more, with intervals at marathon pace, like 2 miles on, 1 mile off.

Getting ready for race day? Here's exactly how I carb load for a marathon, the plan I used before Jersey City. And if you want to go longer after Boston, here are the easiest ultramarathons for your first finish.

Common questions