Exclusive: 2020 Boston Marathon Is Back On, But It’s Happening Tomorrow So Get There ASAP
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The 2020 Boston Marathon is “back on,” officials told Dumb Runner this morning, with one catch—the race begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
“It’s sort of a good news/bad news situation,” said a spokesperson for the Boston Athletic Association, organizers of the venerable race. “The good news is that this year’s marathon is back on. Bad news is that it’s tomorrow.”
“Sorry,” he added. “We know that’s super-short notice.”
The announcement is the latest in a series of twists over the past couple of months. The marathon, originally planned for Monday, April 20, had been pushed to September 14 due to the coronavirus pandemic; in late May, organizers announced the marathon would be held only as a virtual race.
It’s unclear exactly what prompted the sudden reversal, though the spokesperson said a number of possible dates were considered and dismissed for various reasons. Tomorrow, he said, turned out to be the only date that worked for local authorities and for Race Director Dave McGillivray, who had prior commitments every other day.
“If you want to participate in the 2020 Boston Marathon on its historic course from Hopkinton to Boylston Street,” he said, “you’d better hurry.”
The spokesperson also noted that runners would have to pick up their bib numbers at the race expo, which closes at 6 p.m. today.
“Good luck, runners!” he said.
