Why #KeepTheClockRunning?
How can the Boston Marathon be run on April 20th, and September 14? Simple… it just doesn’t stop (even if there are no athletes on the course much of that time).
The goal here is that the marathon is still on Patriots Day (or at least starts then) by doing just barely enough that the event counts as an “event” on April 20, and allows us to continue to celebrate the annual, unbroken tradition of Marathon Monday. 15 runners both mirrors the original event, and I believe satisfies USATF requirements. Thus we still honor the history and tradition. And can still get in our not so humble brags about being the oldest annual marathon in the world (even if Septembers mass running needs to be cancelled)
But at the same time, by allowing that clock to continue ticking for months – we honor the hard work of 30,000 runners earning their way in. We still allow the wider community the fun and excitement of coming out en masse to spectate. (So long as mass events can be done again come September)
By running the historical route of 24.5 miles, this won’t conflict with USATF rules requiring overall awards to best *gun* time. And since the course doesn’t qualify for a world record anyway, I don’t think the elites will be too upset so long as their chip time is right. Some may even be proud of their 147 day marathon!
2020 *WILL* be historic for the Boston Marathon – either because it was postponed (and possibly ends up being cancelled), or because it will go down in history as the first ever marathon to span nearly half a year. The later further strengthens the lore of this great race, the possibilities of the former threaten that.
And the physical clock? I’m going to go out on a limb, and guess that Marathon Sports by the finish line would happily update their countdown to Boston clock to reflect the 2020 Boston Marathon gun time!
So #KeepTheClockRunning – it won’t be the first time the Boston Marathon has made history!