Local runners had to deal with some frustrating and disappointing news Thursday, as the Boston Marathon was officially canceled this year for the first time in its 124-year history.
The Marathon, which was originally scheduled for April 20, was pushed back to Sept. 14 but will now be completely replaced with a virtual event. The virtual marathon will be complemented by a series of virtual events throughout the second week of September, according to the Boston Athletic Association.
Lynn’s Karen Dilisio, who was slated to run her 10th and final Boston Marathon this year, feels like she’s missed out on her chance to accomplish that feat.
“I’m very bitter,” Dilisio said. “People put their whole hearts and souls into this. Last year I had torn my hamstring tendon so I was really gung-ho about this year. I’m getting old, I have arthritis and with my knee, I’m probably done.”
All participants are being refunded their entry fee with a chance to run in the virtual event in September, but Dilisio feels like that pales in comparison to an actual marathon that runners have worked to raise thousands of dollars for.
“It’s not the same,” Dilisio said. “(Boston Mayor) Marty Walsh should let us run this year. I get the safety and there can’t be crowds, but let us run. A lot of runners raised a lot of money for a lot of charities, thousands of dollars. They want to only give us registration money back but that’s nothing.”
Qualifying runners will be able to carry over their earned number to the 2021 race but Dilisio thinks charity runners like herself deserve the same chance.
“I’m happy for the qualifying runners because they’ll be able to carry over their numbers to next year but what about the charity runners,” Dilisio said. “People raised a lot of money and it’s a shame that it won’t be able to carry over just like the qualified runners will be.”
Lynnfield’s Jennifer Lucich is one of those qualifiers and is thankful her number and other qualifiers numbers will still be carried over for the 2021 race.
“I’m not that surprised with the decision (to cancel),” Lucich said. “It was more just worrying that the BAA wasn’t going to let me use my race number for next April and you had to reapply.
“Back in 2012 I ran in the marathon when it was 90 degrees,” Lucich said. “They still honored the number for next year if you weren’t comfortable running in that as well.”
Ellen Goldberg of Nahant is another runner who was holding out hope that the Marathon would return normally in the fall, but is now faced with the reality of a virtual race.
“I guess I had been holding hope, but it didn’t seem realistic,” Goldberg said. “It’s something that hurt my heart immeasurably when I got the news, but I wasn’t shocked. I think it’s the right choice for everyone’s safety right now.”
Goldberg and the rest of the runners will now have to make the most of the virtual format as details continue to be released and it’s something she’s decided to embrace.
“Last week I actually said to my charity I’ve been raising for, ‘I hope it isn’t going to be a virtual race because that’s lame,’” Goldberg said. “But I’m still going to do it anyway. I’ll take it seriously but it’s not the same as it would be in front of all the spectators and seeing your family on the course.
“This is something I’ve committed to, I’ve raised money for and I’m going to stick to it,” Goldberg said. “I have 10 medals from this race so I’ll be damned if I don’t get number 11 as well. I see it as a chance to compete in something historic and just make the best out of it I can.”
