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Best Boston Marathon Qualifiers
It's here! Our annual list of the year's best marathons to help you qualify for the Boston Marathon.
The rolling Beantown Marathon is a 6 loop course located in Bare Cove Park. It is held on the last qualifying weekend for the Boston Marathon and geared toward runners qualifying for the next Boston Marathon.
The Beantown Marathon was the 209th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 206th largest in 2022.
Last year 19.3% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 23% of runners qualified for Boston in 2022.
This gives the Beantown Marathon the 55th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 35th highest percentage in 2022.
Its Course Score of 98.66 ranks it as the 260th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 10th fastest course in Massachusetts.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Beantown Marathon a PR Score of 97.09. This PR Score ranks it as the 324th fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 9th fastest in Massachusetts.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Beantown Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 75 feet (22m) Min Elevation: 9 feet (2m)
It's well organized and the personal fueling station option is great. The course is ok with a hill that does seem to be steeper every time you go up it.
The conditions were horrible, at 72 degrees and 96% humidity for the start. I think you would need to be capable of 20 to 30 minutes faster than your BQ time given the conditions.
Given the climate trends I fear this weather will be the new normal
Beantown is a well organized no frills race. Plenty of parking, bathrooms, and your own aid station. It's a 6 loop course with a hill that seems to get bigger each loop. I would suggest training on a loop since so much of it is a mind game. I do think their BQ percentage is falsely elevated, because a majority of people are running to qualify, many drop out mid way through if they aren't on pace (I think this year they said ~250+ registered and only 200 finished- granted the weather was brutal). Looking at my age group there were no female qualifiers.
Race Tips
There is some gravel/ dirt trail. Bring your own post race fuel very little post race food.
This is a good course, the loops have enough variability to keep them from being repetitive. The only downside is that the support is low and because people are finishing fast if you are over 3:30hrs you might be running alone for the last part of it. Also there was no real after party. People finished got their medals and went home.
Race Tips
You bring your own fuel and run in loops. It's fairly bare bones, but the course is beautiful and varying.
