B.A.A. anticipates unprecedented interest in 115th running; field is expected to fill quickly.
BOSTON, Mass. – Registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon will open on Monday, October 18, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. (ET) and will be conducted online at www.baa.org. The 115th running of the Boston Marathon will be on Monday, April 18, 2011: Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Entrants qualify for the Boston Marathon by meeting the B.A.A.’s time standards which correspond to age and gender, and the qualifying standards for the 2011 race remain unchanged from recent years. Qualifying standards for the 2011 Boston Marathon must be met on or after September 20, 2009 at a marathon certified by USA Track & Field, the national governing body for the sport (or foreign equivalent). Also, the registration fee will remain at $130 USD for residents of the USA.
John Hancock Financial is the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon for the 26th consecutive year. During that time, the race has grown from 4,904 entrants in 1986 to 26,790 entrants (22,721 finishers) in 2010. The field size for 2011 will remain the same as in 2010. The B.A.A. has organized the race since the inaugural Boston Marathon in 1897 when the field consisted of 15 starters and 10 finishers.
For the 2010 Boston Marathon, the race filled in just over two months. The B.A.A. anticipates the maximum field size for the 2011 race will be reached faster than last year, and those who have met the qualifying standards are encouraged to enter early.
Full registration information, including a list of qualifying marathons, and a list of the B.A.A.’s Official Charities for the Boston Marathon is available at http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon. Qualifying Standards can be found here.
The 2011 Boston Marathon will follow the historic, 26.2 mile, point-to-point course which begins in the Town of Hopkinton, includes Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline, and finishes in Boston’s Back Bay at Copley Square.
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of managing athletic events and promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the World Marathon Majors along with the Virgin London Marathon, real,- Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon.