Boston Marathon returns to springtime spot for 126th running

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Runners were gearing up for the Boston Marathon on Monday, marking the return of the prestigious race to its springtime spot for the first time since the pandemic began.

Race director Dave McGillivray sent a group of about 20 from the Massachusetts National Guard that walks the course annually out at 6 a.m., announcing the start in Hopkinton of the 126th Boston Marathon. He told them that the "comeback is greater than the setback."

McGillivray said in an interview that "it’s a new normal," with some pandemic protocols still in place, such as requiring participants to be vaccinated or show an exemption, "but it’s a normal." He said he’s using the catchphrase because "we’re about to see that come to life."

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"We recognize that we’re not totally out of the woods. We’re still sensitive to the virus and requiring vaccinations," he said. "We’re really not back to normal for the time being, but this is what the new normal is. The key is keeping everyone safe."

The wheelchair divisions start shortly after 9 a.m., followed by the elite fields. Eleven former champions are competing. McGillivray said it’s "one of the greatest assembled pro fields of all time."

It has been only six months since athletes raced 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) to Copley Square in Boston for the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon.

Runners cross the starting line of the 125th Boston Marathon, Monday, Oct. 11, 2021, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)

The 2020 race was called off because of the pandemic, the first cancellation since the event