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The 10 Best Races to Qualify for the Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon, held annually on the third Monday in April, is the only mass-participation marathon in the world that requires a qualifying time to participate. Qualifying times are based on the runner's gender and age, and for many runners, making it to Boston becomes a lifetime goal.

If you believe you are physically ready to run a Boston-Qualifying (also known as a BQ) time, one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success is to choose a race that will give you the best chance of running the required time.

To help you increase your chances of landing a coveted Boston slot, we rounded up 10 of the best Boston-qualifying marathons across the United States.

(Note: The registration window for the 2020 Boston Marathon opens in early September, meaning that running a BQ at most of these races would gain you entry for the 2021 Boston Marathon.)

About the Author

Michele Gonzalez

Michele Gonzalez is a mom of two young boys, a 3:15 marathoner, Ironman and ultrarunner. She is a West Point grad and former Army Captain/Iraqi Veteran x3. She blogs at NYCRunningMama.com. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Michele Gonzalez is a mom of two young boys, a 3:15 marathoner, Ironman and ultrarunner. She is a West Point grad and former Army Captain/Iraqi Veteran x3. She blogs at NYCRunningMama.com. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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