Boston Marathon adding option for nonbinary athletes

The Boston Marathon is creating an option for nonbinary runners who will not need to qualify or register as men or women.

The Boston Athletic Association, the race’s organizers, said the other races it administers will also be open to nonbinary athletes.

Registration for the April 17, 2023, race began Monday. Around 30,000 people are expected to run.

FILE - Runners cross the starting line of the 125th Boston Marathon, Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in Hopkinton, Mass. (Mary Schwalm/)

The BAA said nonbinary athletes who have completed another marathon registered as a nonbinary person during the qualifying window will be eligible for the 127th running of the race.

The standards for qualifying are the same as for women, according to Runner’s World.

“3:30 for runners who will be between 18 and 34 on race day (April 17, 2023) and adding 5 or 10 minutes for each five-year age group, up to 5:20 for runners 80 and older,” the website reported.

The standards are expected to change in the future, the BAA said.

“With this being our first year, we do not yet have enough data to establish nonbinary qualifying times,” the organization said in a statement. “Therefore, we will use the women’s qualifying standard times listed here, as they are inclusive of the qualifying times for the two existing divisions.”

Philadelphia Distance Run, the Brooklyn Marathon and Half Marathon are among the races to also have nonbinary divisions.

With News Wire Services