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BOSTON — Runners hoping to qualify for the 2026 Boston Marathon are going to have to pick up the pace. The Boston Athletic Association has updated its qualifying times for the world's oldest annual marathon and asks most prospective competitors to run a 26.2-mile race five minutes faster than in recent years to earn a starting number. The BAA introduced qualifying times in 1970 and has expanded and adjusted the requirements through the decades. Runners participating in the event to raise money for charity don't have to meet the qualifying standards. BAA president Jack Fleming says "the adjustment reflects both the depth of participation and speed at which athletes are running."
