MINNEAPOLIS — On Sunday morning, organizers of the 2023 Twin Cities Marathon made the choice to cancel the race due to high heat and humidity in the forecast.
That decision put a lot of runners in a tough spot because they had been planning to use the marathon as a qualifying race for a future Boston Marathon.
So where else can you get that time to make sure you're running up Heartbreak Hill?
How to Qualify
First off, the qualifying window for the 2024 Boston Marathon opened on Sept. 1, 2022, and ran through Sept. 15, 2023. If you haven't qualified yet, you're looking at 2025 for your race date.
You must be 18 years old at the time of the race.
You must have completed a certified outdoor marathon (virtual and indoor races don't count).
You must meet a qualifying time for your age group.
Finding a Marathon
The weather is getting colder and most races are winding down for the season, but there are still marathons to run!
The 2023 SouthCoast Wind Cape Cod Marathon Weekend will take place Oct. 7-8 and organizers are saving 50 bibs for Twin Cities Marathon runners with proof of registration. Race administrator Kathy MacDonald says around half have been claimed so far.
"Right now, they're saying it's going to be partly cloudy," MacDonald said. "You want a race that is not too far away from your original planned race just because you don't want to start detraining. A race within one to two weeks, you're still pretty much in top shape to be running a marathon."
Closer to the Twin Cities, the Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon and the Gandy Dancer Trail Marathon in Luck, Wisconsin, are also this weekend and are both Boston qualifiers. Gandy Dancer organizers say they're already seeing unprecedented registration following the Twin Cities Marathon cancellation.
"As of Saturday we had 33 marathoners," race director Maria Long said. "Yesterday alone we had I think about 150 register so that for us being a small-town race was a huge increase in numbers in one day."
With more people they will need more volunteers, and organizers say friends of the marathon are already signing up to help.
"I keep getting e-mails throughout the day of people asking, 'I'm free to help what can I do?' and the whole community is just so awesome," spokesperson Erika Albano said.
The Boulderthon in Colorado on Oct. 8 is another option. Race director Phil Dumontet says they too have seen "a significant increase in registrations." Find more information on the Boulderthon Full Marathon here.
The Chicago Marathon is also this weekend but registration is closed.
Later in October, there's also the WhistleStop Marathon Oct. 14 in Iron River, Wisconsin, the IMT Des Moines Marathon Oct. 15 and the Mankato Marathon Oct. 20-21.
In case you need more time to get ready, the Philadelphia Marathon is on Nov. 19. Make sure you pack an extra hoodie as this race is a chilly dash through a historic East Coast city. Check out more on the Philadephia Marathon Weekend here.
A final option, and this one might be the most vacation-worthy: Marathon Bahamas on Jan. 14, 2024. This course advertises itself as flat and "loaded with miles of ocean views." Organizer say they haven't seen an influx of people registering yet. Registration is open through Jan. 12, 2024. More information is available here.
What Times Qualify for the Boston Marathon?
The Boston Marathon limits the number of runners that can compete in the official race every year. The 2024 marathon will include more than 22,000 men, women and non-binary runners.
In 2024, there were 11 age categories, starting at age 18 and going to 80 and over.
Men need to finish a qualifying marathon in three hours or less at the youngest age bracket and four hours, 50 minutes or less in the 80 and over bracket.
For women, the youngest runners finish in three hours or less and the oldest women cross the finish line in five hours, 20 minutes or less.
Non-binary runners had similar cutoffs. Runners in the 18-34 age range had three hours and 30 minutes to complete the course. Athletes aged 80 and older had five hours and 20 minutes or less.
For more information about the Boston Marathon and other qualifying races, visit the official website here.
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