118th Boston Marathon qualifier: 1 minute 38 seconds under cutoff
The 118th Boston Marathon, the emotional comeback one year after the 2013 finish-line bombings, expanded its field to 36,000 entrants and saw Meb Keflezighi become the first American man to win since 1983.
What made 2014 notable
The 118th Boston Marathon was the comeback race, run one year after the 2013 finish-line bombings, and the day belonged to America. Meb Keflezighi surged clear of Wilson Chebet to win in 2:08:37, the first US man to take Boston since Greg Meyer in 1983. The BAA had expanded the field by 9,000 to 36,000 entrants, second only to the 1996 centennial. The qualifier cutoff eased to 1 minute 38 seconds under standard, though 2,976 qualified applicants were still turned away. Rita Jeptoo crossed first among the women in 2:18:57 but was later disqualified for doping, handing the win and course record to Buzunesh Deba at 2:19:59.
Qualifier pool over time
Age-group qualifying times
View full age-group BQ standards
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 03:05:00 | 03:35:00 |
| 35-39 | 03:10:00 | 03:40:00 |
| 40-44 | 03:15:00 | 03:45:00 |
| 45-49 | 03:25:00 | 03:55:00 |
| 50-54 | 03:30:00 | 04:00:00 |
| 55-59 | 03:40:00 | 04:10:00 |
| 60-64 | 03:55:00 | 04:25:00 |
| 65-69 | 04:10:00 | 04:40:00 |
| 70-74 | 04:25:00 | 04:55:00 |
| 75-79 | 04:40:00 | 05:10:00 |
| 80+ | 04:55:00 | 05:25:00 |
Questions about the 2014 qualifier
What was the 2014 Boston Marathon qualifier cutoff?
1 minute 38 seconds under each age-group standard. The BAA had expanded the field to 36,000 entrants for the comeback year, so the cutoff eased compared to surrounding years, though 2,976 qualified applicants were still turned away.
Why was the 2014 Boston field expanded to 36,000?
After the 2013 finish-line bombings, the BAA grew the field by 9,000 to 36,000 official entrants to meet surging demand and let many of the 2013 runners who were stopped return. It was the second largest field in race history, behind only the 1996 centennial.
When was the 2014 Boston registration window?
Registration opened on a rolling basis starting 9 September 2013, with faster qualifiers registering first, and closed 20 September 2013. The 1 minute 38 seconds cutoff was confirmed once registration closed.
Who won the 2014 Boston Marathon?
Meb Keflezighi won the men's race in 2:08:37, the first American man to win Boston since Greg Meyer in 1983. Rita Jeptoo finished first among the women in 2:18:57 but was later disqualified for doping, making Buzunesh Deba the official winner in a course-record 2:19:59.