Boston announces their 2020 start times and Elite women will start behind the men

On Thursday morning the B.A.A. released start times for the 2020 Boston Marathon, and the timetable came with one major change for 2020: the women will start behind the men.

Over the past few years it has become tradition for the elite women to start ahead of the elite men, but the 2020 Boston Marathon has reversed the order, citing safety concerns. The press release says, “To minimize the amount of passing of athletes down course, the elite men will start eight minutes prior to the elite women.

This change is being implemented to help increase the safety of athletes within the elite women’s division, who in previous years were at risk of being overtaken by both the elite men and their accompanying lead vehicles in the second half of the race route.”

The B.A.A has promised that the new order will not compromise the women’s coverage.

2020 start times, 9:02 a.m. ET Men’s Wheelchair Division Start, 9:05 a.m. ET Women’s Wheelchair Division Start, 9:30 a.m. ET Handcycle Program & Duo Participants Start, 9:37 a.m. ET Elite Men’s Division Start, 9:45 a.m. ET Elite Women’s Division Start, 9:50 a.m. ET Para Athletics Divisions Start, 10:00 a.m. ET Wave One Start, 10:25 a.m. ET Wave Two Start, 10:50 a.m. ET Wave Three Start, 11:15 a.m. ET Wave Four Start.

posted Friday February 7th
by Madeleine Kelly