The Boston Marathon is going to be tweaked due to the coronavirus pandemic for the second straight year. On Wednesday, the Boston Athletic Association announced the 2021 Boston Marathon has been postponed until at least the fall of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
No fall date has been set yet and they will continue to work with a COVID-19 advisory group to determine if a fall race is safely a possibility. The Boston Athletic Association explained the reasoning for the pushback on their website.
"With fewer than six months until Patriots' Day and with road races prohibited until Phase 4 of the Massachusetts reopening plan, we are unable to host the Boston Marathon this coming April," Tom Grilk, CEO of the BAA, said. "By shifting our focus to a fall date, we can continue to work with stakeholders to adjust the in-person experience for runners and supporters alike."
Grilk emphasized that health was the most important factor, saying that the BAA "continues to assess all elements of the race including a potential reduced field size or weekend date."
The 2020 Boston Marathon, which was scheduled to take place in April, was canceled earlier this year. That marked the first time in the race's 124-year history it was not run. Instead, the race was held virtually. Participants who were able to prove via GPS they ran the 26.2 miles were awarded a medal.
"We are optimistic that the Boston Marathon will continue its tradition of celebrating the spirit of community and athletic excellence next fall," Grilk said. "We know there will be many questions and we will look to address them in the coming months ahead."
If the 2021 marathon is unable to be held in person, a similar virtual event could be held once again.
