Boston Marathon to penalize times for downhill qualifying courses

June 16, 2025

On Monday, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced it will introduce time penalties for runners who qualify on net-downhill courses with significant elevation drops.

The B.A.A. said it will begin adjusting qualifying times from steep downhill marathons starting with registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon. The new policy targets races with at least 1,500 feet (450 metres) of net elevation loss, which, according to recent data, gives runners a substantial advantage. Running Magazine