Boston Marathon Disqualifies Poconos Race Times Due to Short Course — image accompanying Marathon Handbook's report. Image accompanying Marathon Handbook’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
The Boston Marathon has disqualified times from the Poconos race, citing the course fell short of the required 26.2 miles. Runners received emails stating their times would not count for the 2027 event. The Boston Athletic Association gave runners until Sept. 28 to submit a different certified marathon.
The Poconos marathon, part of the Wicked Fast series, follows the Lehigh River and finishes at the Lehighton Outdoor Center. Despite its USATF certificate showing a net drop of about 427 feet, the B.A.A. found the course insufficient. Runners are now seeking alternative qualifying races. Read more racing coverage.
This decision leaves runners with limited options, as the next qualifying window opens in 2028. The B.A.A. is also offering 1,000 extra spots by lottery for runners with times under the standard but not fast enough for the cutoff. Related: Assefa's Injury Halts World Record Bid at Berlin Marathon.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
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Questions about this report
What should runners know about Boston Marathon Disqualifies Poconos Race Times Due to Short Course?
Runners who completed the Poconos marathon must find another qualifying race by Monday. The Boston Marathon has disqualified times from the Poconos race, citing the course fell short of the required 26.2 miles. Runners received emails stating their times would not count for the 2027 event. The Boston Athletic Association gave runners until Sept. 28 to submit a different certified marathon.
When did Runner World publish this racing brief?
Runner World published this brief on September 28, 2026. The underlying Marathon Handbook report was dated September 28, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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