As the oldest consecutively run the marathon and one of the most prestigious road races in the world, the Boston Marathon requires that participants meet tough qualifying times or participate in one of their charity programs to get a number for the race.

The Boston Marathon is on the third Monday in April (Patriots' Day in Massachusetts) every year, and registration usually opens the previous September. If running in the famed marathon is on your bucket list someday, here's what it takes to get into the race.

How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon

To "BQ" (Boston Qualify) is a goal of some marathon runners because the time standards are fast times and only a small percentage of marathon runners achieve them.

Qualifying times must be run on a certified marathon course on or after the deadline (usually in September). Here are the qualifying times for the 2020 Boston Marathon: