Boston (AP) — Everything starts here.
No, it’s not Hopkinton heading to Back Bay, where the Boston Marathon Field crossed the starting line drawn across Main Street. However, just off the finish of Copley Square, 26.2 miles away, runners must clear the Coronavirus Protocol before embarking on a journey.
Athletes looking for post-race shelter due to muscle tension, dehydration, etc. In the same medical tent, you need to prove that you are vaccinated or pass the COVID-19 test. That’s how they get the wristbands they need to pick up their bib numbers that take them to the bus that takes them to the start in Hopkinton.
“This year’s pandemic caused the 125th edition of the world’s longest run to be delayed, canceled and delayed again,” Boston Athletic Association Chairman Tom Grillk said at a news conference. “It’s another Boston Marathon weekend. It’s been a while.”
Thirty months after Lawrence Cherono and Wolknesh Degefa defeated Tapeto’s victory in 2019, the Boston Marathon will return on Monday for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Last year’s race was postponed until September, after which it was canceled for the first time in history. This year, it was moved from Patriot’s Day in the hope that the pandemic would ease, leading to the first-ever autumn Boston Marathon.
“You have beautiful autumn leaves here,” said 2018 winner Des Linden. “Did you know who?”
This is one of many ongoing changes for Linden and her fellow runners.
In addition to vaccination verification, masks must be worn indoors in Boston and on the bus to the Hopkinton starting point. Once they get there, there is no crowded athlete village where you can grab the granola bar and stretch while waiting for the start. They are instructed to get off the bus and an electronic chip records their start time.
Another socially distant accommodation: The field is about one-third smaller, with about 18,000 runners instead of more than 30,000. It is also more American and many people from countries with strict quarantine rules cannot attend. (That is, there are four Australian residents running compared to 276 in 2019.)
Another 29,000 of those squeezed by size restrictions effectively run the race. This is an option that did not exist before the pandemic canceled the 2020 edition. (222 Australians and 1,639 from Hong Kong signed it up.)
The congestion of eight cities and towns along the course is also expected to be reduced as fans are trying to reduce their social distance. And Wellesley College students were told to skip the traditional lucky kisses for runners as they passed school near the midpoint.
On the other hand, some changes may be welcomed.
A quick start shuffle saves the runners from long waits (often standing for hours) before they flock to the enclosure for the start wave to be called. Rolling starts also spread things on the track and give them room to run.
The finisher medal is larger and gold to commemorate the 125th edition of the race. Trees also come in a variety of colors. Instead of spring daffodils planted along the course since the 2013 bombing, runners can see the changing leaves red, orange and yellow.
And the Red Sox, who traditionally play marathon day matinee at Fenway Park, right next to Kenmore Square’s “1 Mile to Go” marker, mandates a baseball playoff. If the schedule is lucky, they will face the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 4 of the AL Division Series on Monday (even at night).
“I know it’s different, but things happen for a reason,” said Alex Cora, Red Sox manager. “For special cases earlier this year, we play in the playoffs game on Monday and obviously think about what’s happening during the day. I can’t even imagine the feelings of the people here.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash, who played part of the three seasons with the Red Sox, also noticed the topic when he arrived in Boston this weekend. “This city is certainly living a lot of life now,” he said.
So Grilk was asked, is there a chance that the BAA might decide that they like a better fall and go on a permanent switch?
“No,” he said.
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Marathon Changes: Rolling Start, Mask, Leaf Peep | WGN Radio 720
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