With the world’s greatest marathon only a few weeks away, Boston Marathon race officials are urging fans to stay off the course after last year’s controversy involving cops blocking a predominantly Black running group along Heartbreak Hill.
The Boston Athletic Association is out with messaging on social media about the importance of having a clear course on Marathon Monday, April 15.
“Planning to attend #Boston128? Keeping the course clear is essential to supporting every athlete in having a great race day experience,” the Boston Marathon posted. “The @BAA Spectator Guide offers info on how to support a great race & help you find the perfect spots to cheer!”
The “Spectator Guide” reminds fans that they’re banned from entering the course, running alongside athletes, or impeding athletes in any manner.
“Any person on the course without an official race bib or accreditation will be directed to leave the course immediately,” the B.A.A. guide states.
The marathon’s social media messaging about keeping the course clear comes a year after the incident with police at Mile 21 in Newton.
Last Marathon Monday, the B.A.A. had reportedly alerted Newton Police about spectators from Pioneers Run Crew, a Black- and Brown-led running group, jumping onto the course and impeding runners.
As a result, Newton police officers with bicycles lined up at the running group’s spot, restricting their cheering access to the road and their ability to give out high fives. Police officers also took positions behind the group’s tent.
This doesn’t happen at other parts of the course, the group members said last year.
“Maintaining a clear course is important to support our 30,000 participants in safely navigating the course and running their best race, allowing easy access for emergency personnel, and assuring that all spectators have as clear a view of the course as possible,” the B.A.A. said in a statement to the Herald on Tuesday.
“Following the 2023 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. recognized that we had not effectively or consistently communicated the longstanding policy that spectators are not allowed on the course,” the association added. “To assure that all spectators understood that guideline and the benefits of a clear course, we took several steps, including sharing content about the guidelines and benefits on a clear course via social media and by sharing with cities/towns and institutions along the route so that they could further share.”
After the Boston Marathon posted the “clear course” messaging on social media, some commenters pointed to last year’s incident.
“This is a response to your mistakes at mile 21 last year,” a person wrote.
“This feels really screwed up and like BAA is trying to justify its inequitable response from last year,” another commenter posted.
Meanwhile, Pioneers Run Crew is out with its own social media messaging about how marathon spectators should act on race day. While the Boston Marathon’s post was called “Five Reasons For A Clear Course,” the running group released a similarly designed post that reads, “Five Reasons For A Cheer Course.”
“Planning to attend a marathon this spring?” Pioneers Run Crew wrote. “As always cheering is essential to support every athlete in having a great day. This handy guide offers helpful hints for how to support a great race day experience for all and to help you plan to find the perfect spots to cheer participants on.”
“For all race participants to have a great day the road must be full of CHEERS and every celebration,” the group posted. “Participants can feed off the crowds and cheering, without the worry of getting in trouble for it.”
In the days after the incident last year, the leader of the Boston Athletic Association said, “We know that we did not deliver on our promise to make it a great day for everyone… It is our job, and we need to do better to create an environment that is welcoming and supportive of the BIPOC communities at the marathon.”
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