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Boston Marathon canceled for 1st time in 124-year history
Source: Associated Press
Boston Marathon canceled for 1st time in 124-year history
By JIMMY GOLEN
May 29, 2020
BOSTON (AP) — Organizers canceled the Boston Marathon on Thursday for the first time in its history, bowing to the social distancing requirements of the coronavirus outbreak and ending a 124-year run that had persisted through two World Wars, a volcanic eruption and even another pandemic.
The race, which draws a field of 30,000 and already had been postponed from April 20 to Sept. 14, will be replaced by a virtual event in which participants who verify that they ran 26.2 miles (42.2 km) on their own will receive their finisher’s medal.
“It became clear as this crisis developed that Sept. 14 was less and less plausible,” Mayor Marty Walsh said at a news conference outside City Hall, where runners traditionally gather for a pre-race pasta dinner.
“This is a challenge, but meeting tough challenges is what the Boston Marathon is all about,” Walsh said, invoking the response to the finish line bombings seven years ago. “It’s a symbol of our city’s and our commonwealth’s resilience. So it’s incumbent upon all of us to dig deep, like a marathon runner, like we did in 2013, and keep that spirit alive.”
Although the title of Boston Marathon champion is contested by a few dozen elite athletes, the field includes more than 30,000 recreational and charity runners, with as many as 1 million people lined up along the course trek from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay. That presented organizers with a social distancing problem that won’t be solved by the fall.
-snip-
By JIMMY GOLEN
May 29, 2020
BOSTON (AP) — Organizers canceled the Boston Marathon on Thursday for the first time in its history, bowing to the social distancing requirements of the coronavirus outbreak and ending a 124-year run that had persisted through two World Wars, a volcanic eruption and even another pandemic.
The race, which draws a field of 30,000 and already had been postponed from April 20 to Sept. 14, will be replaced by a virtual event in which participants who verify that they ran 26.2 miles (42.2 km) on their own will receive their finisher’s medal.
“It became clear as this crisis developed that Sept. 14 was less and less plausible,” Mayor Marty Walsh said at a news conference outside City Hall, where runners traditionally gather for a pre-race pasta dinner.
“This is a challenge, but meeting tough challenges is what the Boston Marathon is all about,” Walsh said, invoking the response to the finish line bombings seven years ago. “It’s a symbol of our city’s and our commonwealth’s resilience. So it’s incumbent upon all of us to dig deep, like a marathon runner, like we did in 2013, and keep that spirit alive.”
Although the title of Boston Marathon champion is contested by a few dozen elite athletes, the field includes more than 30,000 recreational and charity runners, with as many as 1 million people lined up along the course trek from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay. That presented organizers with a social distancing problem that won’t be solved by the fall.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/c79eb6364911d9bb2b3b05835dcc7af3
______________________________________________________________________
Source: WCVB-TV
Boston Marathon 'not feasible this year' because of coronavirus concern Mayor Walsh announces
BAA plans 'virtual' race instead
BOSTON — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced Thursday the cancellation of the 2020 Boston Marathon, saying the race is "not feasible this year" because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 124th edition of the annual race was originally scheduled for April 20 and in March was rescheduled for Sept. 14. Throughout this month, as the city and state advanced reopening plans, the rescheduled date again came into question.
Walsh said Thursday that officials agreed it was not possible for the city and other communities along the route to host the race safely.
“The traditional one-day running of the 124th Boston Marathon is not feasible this year for public health reasons. There is no way to hold this unusual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity. While our goal and hope was to make progress and contain the virus and recover our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on Sept. 14 or anytime this year,” Walsh said.
The mayor estimated the marathon would normally bring an influx of $200 million to the economy.
-snip-
BAA plans 'virtual' race instead
BOSTON — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced Thursday the cancellation of the 2020 Boston Marathon, saying the race is "not feasible this year" because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 124th edition of the annual race was originally scheduled for April 20 and in March was rescheduled for Sept. 14. Throughout this month, as the city and state advanced reopening plans, the rescheduled date again came into question.
Walsh said Thursday that officials agreed it was not possible for the city and other communities along the route to host the race safely.
“The traditional one-day running of the 124th Boston Marathon is not feasible this year for public health reasons. There is no way to hold this unusual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity. While our goal and hope was to make progress and contain the virus and recover our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on Sept. 14 or anytime this year,” Walsh said.
The mayor estimated the marathon would normally bring an influx of $200 million to the economy.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-coronavirus-response-update-mayor-walsh-may-28-2020/32699908#
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