Boston Marathon Cancelled

The 2020 Boston Marathon has been cancelled. Boston Mayor, Marty Walsh made the announcement this afternoon in conjunction with the Boston Athletic Association. Last Friday, Mayor Walsh said the final decision on whether to hold the race in 2020 would be made soon.

The race was postponed for the first time in history earlier this year. On March 13, The April 20 date was moved to September 14 due to COVID-19.

The next Boston Marathon will be run on, Monday, April 19, (Patriots Day) 2021. Those Boston Marathon participants registered for 2020 have an option to run a virtual version of the race to receive their medal.

The race has been run for 124 years without interruption, prior to today’s announcement.

Some news for those interested in other major races in the US:

• The Chicago Marathon is scheduled to be run on Sunday October 11.
• The New York City Marathon is scheduled for for Sunday November 1.
• The Peachtree Road Race typically run on July 4 in Atlanta, has been moved to Thanksgiving , Nov 26, 2020.
• The San Francisco Bay To Breakers typically run in May, has been moved to September 20, 2020.

For a virtual race, you can run this weekend, check out UltraVirusRace.com

For the latest Spartan Race cancellations – click here.

For the first Post COVID -19 Spartan Race, to be held in Jacksonville, Florida- click here.

Below is the email sent to all 2020 Boston Marathon Participants:

Dear Boston Marathoner,

We hope this message finds you healthy and well. Today, we write to notify you that the 124th Boston Marathon will be held as a virtual event, following Boston Mayor Martin Walsh’s cancellation of the marathon as a mass participation road running event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual Boston Marathon will be complemented by a series of virtual events throughout the second week of September.

“Our top priority continues to be safeguarding the health of the community, as well as our staff, participants, volunteers, spectators, and supporters,” said Tom Grilk, C.E.O. of the B.A.A. “While we cannot bring the world to Boston in September, we plan to bring Boston to the world for an historic 124th Boston Marathon.”

All participants who were originally registered for the April 20, 2020 event will be offered a refund for their full entry fee associated with the race and will have the opportunity to participate in the virtual Boston Marathon, which can be run any time between September 7–14. The B.A.A. will also offer a series of virtual events and activities throughout September’s Marathon Week in an effort to bring the Boston Marathon experience to the constituencies that the organization serves here in Boston, across the United States, and around the world.

Virtual offerings for participants during that week will include exclusive panel discussions, champions interviews, and a downloadable Boston Marathon toolkit that includes signature race elements such as a printable finish line, winner’s breaktape, and more. Further details will be sent to all entrants in the near future.

Participants in the virtual 2020 Boston Marathon will be required to complete the 26.2 mile distance within a six hour time period and provide proof of timing to the B.A.A. All athletes who complete the virtual race will receive an official Boston Marathon program, participant t-shirt, medal, and runner’s bib.

More information, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, can be found at our website, www.baa.org.

The B.A.A. 5K scheduled for September 12 has also been canceled due to coronavirus. All participants who were originally registered for the April 18, 2020 event will be offered a refund. More information will be sent to participants.

The 2020 Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, was postponed to September 14, 2020 by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The B.A.A. has been regularly communicating with city and state officials to discuss all efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus. For the 35th year, John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon.

We appreciate your continued support, and look forward to bringing the Boston Marathon to you in September.

Sincerely,
The Boston Athletic Association

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Matt B. Davis

is the host of the Obstacle Racing Media Podcast and the author of "Down and Dirty-The Essential Training Guide for Obstacle Races and Mud Runs". He is also the only (known) #wafflehouseelite obstacle racer.

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