Boston runs on April 19, 2027. Qualifier registration has closed, and the published cutoff was 5 minutes, 17 seconds faster than the age-group standard. The new qualifier selection offered another route for some applicants, not a reopened ballot. Once your place is confirmed, plan for the long transfer to Hopkinton and a course whose early downhill can make the later Newton Hills expensive.
Better info coming — we're still verifying 1 field on this race.
Major race decision brief
Know the catch before you book the flight.
Four facts shape this weekend: entry, course load, the start-to-finish problem, and whether your crew gets a good trip too.
01 · Secure the bib
Closed · Qualifier
Qualifier registration is closed. B.A.A. published a 5:17 cutoff for 2027 on September 29. About 1,000 additional qualifying applicants were eligible for the new random-selection route. Confirm your acceptance and fee in Athletes’ Village. Treat travel as refundable until your place and any qualification requirement are confirmed.
02 · Read the load
247 m climbing
A net-downhill point-to-point from Hopkinton that drops about 129 meters overall and wrecks quads in the first miles, then hands you the Newton Hills and Heartbreak Hill at mile 20 right when your legs are gone. About 247 meters of total gain against 376 meters of descent, with the highest ground (around 149 m) at the start. The Boylston Street finish is the payoff for surviving it.
03 · Solve the base
Point-to-point logistics
Start and finish sit roughly 39 km apart as the crow flies. Choose a base around the official transport plan or finish—not from a map pin that only looks close to the start.
04 · Pack the range
5–14°C
Historical rain signal: 30%. Use reviewed climate data for packing, then switch to the live forecast inside race week.
Crew fit is 4/5. Use the spectator guide to decide whether this is a shared city weekend or a runner-first operation.
Why we'd pick it
- 247 m of climbing: rolling, not pancake-flat.
- The qualifying-entry window is closed for this edition.
- A non-racing partner gets a real weekend here — 4/5.
- Race day usually sits 5–14°C, about 30% chance of rain.
The course
A net-downhill point-to-point from Hopkinton that drops about 129 meters overall and wrecks quads in the first miles, then hands you the Newton Hills and Heartbreak Hill at mile 20 right when your legs are gone. About 247 meters of total gain against 376 meters of descent, with the highest ground (around 149 m) at the start. The Boylston Street finish is the payoff for surviving it.
