Six Star Marathon Application Guide: Tickets to Boston, Tokyo, and London Marathons

What are the World Marathon Majors (WMM)?

The World Marathon Majors (WMM) is an alliance of the world’s six most prestigious city marathons, and a goal every serious marathon runner dreams of achieving. Runners who complete all six events are called “Six Star Finishers,” symbolizing the highest honor in the marathon world.

The Six Star Events:

1. Boston Marathon
2. Tokyo Marathon
3. London Marathon
4. Chicago Marathon
5. Berlin Marathon
6. New York City Marathon

How to Gain Entry to Each Event

1. Boston Marathon

Date: Third Monday of April each year (Patriots’ Day)
Organizer: Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)

Entry Method: Qualifying
The Boston Marathon is the only event among the Six Stars that requires a “qualifying time” to register, which is why it holds the highest prestige.

2024 Qualifying Standards (by age group):

Age Group	Men	Women
18-34	3:00:00	3:30:00
35-39	3:05:00	3:35:00
40-44	3:10:00	3:40:00
45-49	3:20:00	3:50:00
50-54	3:25:00	3:55:00
55-59	3:35:00	4:05:00
60-64	3:50:00	4:20:00
65-69	4:05:00	4:35:00
70-74	4:20:00	4:50:00

Note: Since the number of applicants exceeds the available slots, your qualifying time must be “faster than the standard” to secure entry. In recent years, runners have needed to be about 5-6 minutes faster.

Application Process:

1. Run a qualifying time at an eligible marathon (an officially recognized event)
2. The registration window opens each September; submit your certified time
3. Wait for the B.A.A. to confirm whether you’ve been accepted

2. Tokyo Marathon

Date: First Sunday of March each year
Organizer: Tokyo Marathon Foundation

Entry Method: Lottery (primary) + Quotas (limited)

Lottery (General Category):

• Lottery registration opens each May
• Entry fee: 16,200 yen (tax included)
• Extremely low acceptance rate, approximately 10-12%
• Runners from Taiwan can register directly on the official website

Quota Application Methods:

• Charity Runner: Donate to a designated charity of the Tokyo Marathon; the amount is approximately NT$100,000-150,000
• Travel Package: Purchase a package tour including hotel accommodations through official travel agencies
• Speed Elite: Runners who meet certain marathon time standards (men under 2:45:00 / women under 3:00:00) can apply with priority

3. London Marathon

Date: Last Sunday of April each year
Organizer: London Marathon Events

Entry Method: Lottery (primary) + Overseas Quotas

Lottery:

• Registration for the following year’s lottery opens each April (after the race)
• Non-UK residents can register under the “Overseas Entry” category
• Acceptance rate for overseas runners is approximately 15-20% (slightly higher than UK residents)

Good For Age (GFA) Quota:
Similar to Boston’s qualifying standard, runners who complete a marathon within a specified time can apply for a GFA spot:

• Men 18-40: under 3:05
• Women 18-40: under 3:45
  (Standards vary by age group)

Recommendation for runners from Taiwan: London Marathon package tours offered by Taiwanese travel agencies often include guaranteed entries (at a premium).

4. Chicago Marathon

Date: Second Sunday of October each year

Entry Method: Lottery

• Lottery registration for the following year opens each October (after the race)
• Runners from Taiwan can register directly in the international category
• Acceptance rate is approximately 10-15%

5. Berlin Marathon

Date: Last Sunday of September each year

Entry Method: Lottery

• Lottery registration opens each November
• Acceptance rate is approximately 12-15%
• Runners from Taiwan can register directly on the official website

Highlight: Berlin is the world’s fastest marathon course (almost entirely flat), and multiple world records have been set here. It is the top choice for runners chasing a personal best.

6. New York City Marathon

Date: First Sunday of November each year

Entry Method: Lottery + Guaranteed Entry After Consecutive Misses

• Lottery registration opens January-February each year
• Unique mechanism: Runners who fail to gain entry in the lottery for three consecutive years are guaranteed entry in the fourth year
• Runners from Taiwan can register directly

Six-Star Strategy Recommendations for Runners from Taiwan

Difficulty Ranking

Event	Difficulty	Reason
Boston	Extremely Difficult	Requires a qualifying time
Tokyo	High	Low lottery acceptance rate, high cost
London	High	Low lottery acceptance rate
New York	Medium-High	Guaranteed after three consecutive misses
Chicago	Medium	Relatively better lottery acceptance rate
Berlin	Medium	Relatively better lottery acceptance rate

Recommended Strategy

1. Register for multiple events simultaneously: Since registration periods for different events do not overlap, you can enter multiple lotteries at the same time
2. Consider travel packages for Tokyo first: Although Tokyo travel packages are expensive, the distance is short for runners from Taiwan, making the cost-performance ratio relatively favorable
3. Secure Berlin and Chicago first: These two are relatively easier to get into; complete them before taking on Boston
4. Train toward Boston: The process of qualifying for Boston is itself the best motivation to improve your running performance

Cost Estimate for Six-Star Finishers

Race	Entry Fee	Flights (from Taiwan)	Accommodation	Subtotal
Tokyo	NT$4,000	NT$8,000-12,000	NT$10,000-20,000	NT$22,000-36,000
Boston	NT$4,500	NT$30,000-50,000	NT$20,000-40,000	NT$54,500-94,500
London	NT$5,000	NT$25,000-45,000	NT$20,000-40,000	NT$50,000-90,000
Chicago	NT$4,000	NT$30,000-50,000	NT$15,000-30,000	NT$49,000-84,000
Berlin	NT$3,500	NT$25,000-45,000	NT$15,000-30,000	NT$43,500-78,500
New York	NT$5,500	NT$30,000-50,000	NT$20,000-40,000	NT$55,500-95,500

Total Six-Star Budget Estimate: Approximately NT$275,000-480,000 (including all travel expenses)

Conclusion

The Six-Star Marathon is not just six races, but six in-depth experiences of different city cultures and running communities. Boston’s history, Tokyo’s enthusiastic crowds, London’s royal route… each race is a unique running memory. Setting the Six-Star as a long-term goal gives every training session greater meaning, and for many runners, it is the strongest motivation to keep moving forward.

Related Reading

• Preparing for Overseas Road Races: Applying and Training for the Tokyo Marathon and Boston Marathon
• Boston Marathon Qualification: Achieving the Dream of America’s Marathon Mecca
• Taipei Marathon Complete Guide: Registration, Course Analysis, and Pacing Strategies
• Tokyo Marathon Pilgrimage Guide: Course Analysis, Travel Planning, and Training Tips