The Boston Marathon organisers are pressing on with the arrangements for the 6th Boston Marathon on Monday 18th April and plan to implement similar Covid mitigation arrangements to those used last May despite there being no legal restrictions on numbers in gatherings, social distancing or requirement for test and trace at the present time. The Central Park will continue to be used as an assembly area and groups of 250 runners will depart from the Market Place at 10 min intervals. The finish line stays at the Boston College site with runners encouraged to depart once recovered. This plan was successful last year and worked well for the town, the runners and the organisers.

The theme this year is focused on agriculture in the Boston Fens. Runners witness, close up,  many fields of vegetables on their 26 mile route through our villages and this year’s medal design includes an image of runners in a flat landscape with the stump in the distance, cradled at the bottom by cabbage, cauliflower and a tractor and it will provide a permanent reminder of the event for all finishers.

Once again the organisers ask that Boston residents get involved. It’s a fun day volunteering. There are marshalling roles at the start, at the water stations on route or at the finish line and volunteers create a carnival atmosphere by dressing up and shouting encouragement to the runners. Individuals, families or groups can register on the volunteer page of the Boston Marathon website www.bostonmarathon.co.uk or call the organisers on 07810 186939.