Running News Daily

Will You Sign Up for the Virtual Boston Marathon?

For the first time, a medal from the iconic event will be available to anyone. Getting into the race doesn’t depend on your speed or fundraising capabilities.

On March 2, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) made a big announcement: It will hold a virtual Boston Marathon this fall for the first 70,000 people to register.

What makes this different from last year’s virtual Boston Marathon? After that in-person race was postponed and then canceled due to COVID-19, only people who were already entered to run Boston in 2020 were allowed to do the virtual race.

This year, it’s open to anyone.

Potential entrants don’t have to worry about qualifying times, cutoff points, or raising five-figure dollar amounts for a charity bib. Any runner could earn a medal from the iconic race, which has long been seen as an exclusive club for the sport’s most competitive athletes.

Still, much remains uncertain about the 2021 in-person and virtual events.

Here’s What We Know

→ The in-person Boston Marathon, typically held every April, has been moved to Monday, October 11. It’s the day after the scheduled date for the Chicago Marathon.

→ The size of the in-person race, which is typically about 30,000 runners, will be smaller this year. Organizers will attempt to maintain the customary field size ratio of 80 percent qualifiers and 20 percent charity runners.

→ The virtual race will accept up to 70,000 runners, all of whom can earn the classic medal. “For the first time in our history, most everyone will have the opportunity to earn a unicorn finisher’s medal for every BAA race in 2021—no matter whether they choose to walk or run,” said Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the BAA in a statement. The virtual race will need to be completed in one continuous attempt.

Here’s What We Still Don’t Know

→ The number of athletes allowed to run the 2021 in-person race—will it be elites only? Or will it include several thousand runners?

→ If Boston qualifiers are a part of the race, what will the cutoff time be for entry into the in-person race? The cutoff—the time by which a Boston hopeful has to be faster than his or her qualifying time—was 1:39 for the 2020 race that never happened. With a smaller field, it’s likely to be much greater.

→ How much will it cost to enter the virtual marathon?

Even with the uncertainty, a chance to earn a Boston medal is appealing to many runners.