Pandemic cancels Lake Tahoe marathon

Eager runners registered to participate in this year’s Lake Tahoe Marathon will have to wait until 2021 to hear the starting gun go off: the event is now cancelled, South Tahoe Now reported.

“The odds of being able to have the 25th Lake Tahoe Marathon this year on Oct 9-11th have dropped to about 1 percent,” race director Les Wright wrote in a letter to participants. “I spoke to the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Zoom at the end of their meeting in the Public Comment session this afternoon. No action can take place during this time.”

Originally, the 26th marathon was scheduled to take place October 9-11. It's now been moved to October 8-11 in 2021.

Wright went on to say that “CA is on fire right now” and that although he hopes the fires will be over by October the marathon dates this year, he thinks there is “a good chance the Lake Tahoe Basin will still be smoky then as well.”

Despite COVID-19 and wildfires, Wright thinks people will still show up and run regardless.“If I can help you with running on your own, I will be glad to give you advice," he said. "Meanwhile, wear your mask, social distance, and keep running when you can.”

Organizers around the world have been forced to cancel marathons as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across oceans and continents. Amongst the casualties: the New York marathon, the Boston marathon and the Berlin marathon.

posted Thursday September 17th
by Fernando Martinez