The Boston Marathon bombings prevented 5,700 runners from finishing the race. Now an online petition to automatically let them into next year’s race is gaining rapid support.

As of 1:50 p.m. Eastern, nearly 20,000 people had signed the petition on change.org.

Organizers told the Associated Press they’d have to discuss an expanded field with the eight cities and towns along the course. The race, which drew nearly 27,000 entrants this year, is the only American marathon that requires a qualifying time.

Ryan Polly of Williston, Vt., started the petition. He was less than a mile from the finish line when the bombings occurred, killing three people and injuring more than 200. Polly wrote of his gratitude at not being harmed, adding: "The most exciting day of our lives turned out to be the scariest."

Polly thanked the Boston Athletic Association for “providing those of us who didn’t get a chance to finish the race with a finisher’s medallion and an estimated finishing time. We are certainly appreciative of these efforts, but we feel our journey is not complete.”