Even with vaccination Boston Marathon athletes may need two negative coronavirus tests before race

Boston Marathon athletes might need to show they tested negative for coronavirus twice before the October in-person race, even if they’re vaccinated, the Boston Athletic Association said Wednesday.

Also, the B.A.A. this year will eliminate the staging area in Hopkinton where athletes traditionally mingle, stretch, hydrate, and fuel up before the race.

“The B.A.A. is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of participants, volunteers, and the public,” Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the B.A.A., said in a statement. “We will continue to follow the science and adapt the event plan to reflect guidance from our local, city, and state partners.”

Participants for the first time will be able to buy registration insurance, the B.A.A. announced. There will also be a $25 COVID-19 health and safety fee for this year’s race on Oct. 11.

The B.A.A. last month announced a smaller field size for this year’s race. There will be 20,000 entrants to allow for social distancing throughout the course. The field size in recent years has been 30,000 participants.

“Participants in the in-person race may be expected to produce up to two negative COVID-19 tests prior to Monday, October 11, regardless of vaccination status, in order to mitigate spread to participants and community members,” the association said. “The B.A.A. will continue to follow the data and science and will share more information in the coming months on testing timelines and requirements.”

In addition to the in-person road race, the B.A.A. is also holding a virtual Boston Marathon over the race weekend from Oct. 8 to 10.

With no staging area for the in-person race this year, athletes will instead be assigned specific start times and participate in a rolling start at Hopkinton. The rolling start procedure will be directly aligned with the bus loading times in Boston and transportation to the start.

The entry fee for the 125th Boston Marathon will remain $205 for U.S. residents and $255 for international residents.

Participants who elect to purchase registration insurance, offered by RegShield, will be able to have entry fees and the COVID-19 health and safety fee refunded for multiple reasons including loss of job, pregnancy, illness, and injury.

Refunds may only be eligible for those who purchase the insurance policy at the point of registration. Entries in the Boston Marathon cannot be transferred, deferred to a future year, and only those who elect to purchase registration insurance may be eligible for refunds.

Registration will be held through the B.A.A.’s online platform, Athlete’s Village, from April 20 at 10 a.m. to April 23 at 5 p.m.

posted Thursday April 8th
by Rick Sobey