2014 Boston Marathon To Have 36,000 Runners

Registration for qualified runners begins Sept. 9.

Next year’s Boston Marathon will have a field of 36,000 runners, the Boston Athletic Association announced today. Registration for qualified runners will open on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. ET.

The Boston Athletic Association will use the same process to register qualified runners as it used in the 2012 and 2013 Marathons, allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first.

Registration will be held entirely online at baa.org. The 118th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 21, 2014 and will mark the 29th consecutive year that the event will have John Hancock Financial Services as its principal sponsor.

Registration will occur on a “rolling admission” schedule, beginning with the fastest qualifiers. On Sept. 9, eligible runners who have met the qualifying standard for their age and gender by 20 minutes or more may register. On Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. ET, if space remains, registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standard by 10 minutes or more. If space remains, registration will open on Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. ET for those who have met their qualifying standard by five minutes or more. Registration will close on Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. ET.

The Centennial Boston Marathon in 1996 established a record as the world’s largest marathon with 38,708 entrants, 36,748 starters, and 35,868 finishers. That remains the largest Boston field, but those numbers have since been surpassed by several other races.

If space remains after the first week of registration (Sept. 9 through Sept. 14), then registration will re-open for all qualifiers from Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. ET through Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. ET. If space remains after this initial period, then on Monday, Sept. 23, registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards. Registration will remain open until the maximum field size is reached.

“The B.A.A. is aware of the significantly increased interest in registering for the 2014 Boston Marathon,” said B.A.A. Executive Director Tom Grilk. “The rolling admission schedule will provide runners with the fastest qualifying times in their age and gender group the ability to have their entry accepted in an orderly and systematic manner.  We understand many marathoners and qualifiers want to run Boston in 2014, and we appreciate the support and patience that the running community has demonstrated because of the bombings that occurred this past spring.”

The registration process ensures that the fastest qualifiers will be accepted first. However, achieving one’s qualifying standard does not guarantee entry. Those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted.

The registration fee for the 2014 Boston Marathon for qualifiers is $175 for U.S. residents and $225 for international residents.

A special registration period for the 2013 Boston Marathon began on Aug. 19 and concludes today (Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. ET) for 2013 Boston Marathon starters who reached the half marathon checkpoint or later but did not have the opportunity to cross the finish line on Boylston Street. Those 5,624 runners were contacted by the B.A.A. via email; thus far, more than 4,500 entries have been received.

For the last several months, the B.A.A. has worked with state and municipal agencies and public safety officials to establish a field size of 36,000 entrants for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

“Interested runners have been remarkably respectful and cooperative as we worked towards what will be an important day in the history of the race, the sport and the City of Boston,” said Grilk. “The B.A.A. offers special thanks and gratitude to the town, city and state officials for the cooperation and allowances needed to conduct a special race of this size and scope.”