Plans for the Boston Marathon have changed again as the coronavirus pandemic continues toward the end of 2020.
The 2021 iteration of the Boston Marathon, which is usually held on the third Monday in April, has been postponed until an unspecified time in the fall of 2021, the Boston Athletic Association announced on Wednesday.
“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,” said BAA President Tom Grilk, according to the Hill.
“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,” he continued in a statement. “Prioritizing the safety of participants, volunteers, spectators, and community members, we continue to assess all elements of the race including a potential reduced field size or weekend date.”
The change comes after the 2020 Boston Marathon was canceled for the first time in its 124 year history because of the COVID-19 health crisis. Boston Mayor Marty West announced the event’s cancellation in May, although a virtual version of the event was later held in September.
Massachusetts saw its highest number of COVID-19 cases in late-April to early-May before numbers began to decline. Recently, the number of new reported cases has been creeping up, and over the past two weeks, the Bay State has seen a 79% increase in new infections and a 60% increase in deaths. Massachusetts has tallied more than 154,000 infections and at least 9,924 deaths since the pandemic began.
