Believe it or not, marathons used to be an interactive and exciting experience for those competing — and for those cheering them on. But that was before the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, the number of people finishing large timed races has dropped by nearly 95%, according to the Wall Street Journal, and the number of people watching and cheering from the sidelines has decreased even more due to restrictions on large gatherings. Meanwhile, officials are struggling to figure out how to maintain the integrity of their races while also keeping runners safe.