Everything you need to know about the Virtual 125th Boston Marathon, held October 8–10 prior to the in-person 125th Boston Marathon on Monday, October 11
Who can participate?
The virtual 125th Boston Marathon is open to runners of all levels and abilities. Registration is open to the first 70,000 entrants ages 18 and older.
When is the race window?
The virtual 125th Boston Marathon window will take place Friday, October 8–Sunday, October 10.
When is registration?
Registration opens Tuesday, March 30 at 10AM ET through the B.A.A.’s online platform, Athletes’ Village. Participants are encouraged to create their Athletes’ Village account prior to registration opening.
What are the registration tiers and entry fees?
There are two registration tiers:
Start Line Package ($75 US/$95 international)—includes virtual race entry, unicorn finisher’s medal, virtual toolkit, forthcoming virtual mobile app, and access to an exclusive group within the Athletes’ Village community
SOLD OUT 125th Celebration Package ($125 US/$145 international)*—includes virtual race entry, unicorn finisher’s medal, long sleeve adidas participant shirt, virtual toolkit, forthcoming virtual mobile app, access to an exclusive group within the Athletes’ Village community, and a portion of this entry fee will be distributed to the nonprofits that comprise the B.A.A.'s 2021 Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and to support nonprofits in the Greater Boston area whose missions focus on health and wellness.
*while supplies last/sold out Wednesday, March 31
Can a participant create an Athletes’ Village account before registration opens?
Yes. Anyone can create an Athletes’ Village account at any time. For the fastest registration process, participants are encouraged to create accounts prior to March 30. The link to register for the virtual 125th Boston Marathon will be displayed on the Athletes’ Village “Home” page beginning at 10AM ET on March 30.
Why is the virtual Boston Marathon open to anyone?
The B.A.A. seeks to engage 125,000 athletes worldwide as part of the #RunTo125 campaign, which celebrates the 125th running of the Boston Marathon. The #RunTo125 celebrates athletes of all abilities, whether participating in the virtual B.A.A. 5K (April 16-18), Patriots’ Day Mile (April 19), Boston Marathon (in-person and virtual), or other upcoming B.A.A. races.
Is there a time limit to complete the virtual race?
All participants will need to complete the marathon distance of 26.2 miles in one, continuous attempt in order to earn their unicorn finisher’s medal, but will not be limited to any time restrictions.
Will there be a different medal for virtual finishers compared to in-person finishers?
Yes. Finishers of the virtual 125th Boston Marathon will receive a commemorative celebratory unicorn medal that is different from the medals that in-person finishers earn. The medals will feature the historic unicorn emblem and celebratory 125th anniversary year of the Boston Marathon. Designs for the virtual medal and in-person medal will be unveiled closer to October.
Can you run both the virtual and in-person race?
Yes, participants may run both races and earn two medals if they complete both the virtual race October 8-10 and the in-person race October 11. The in-person race cannot be counted as completion of the virtual event, as the race window closes on October 10.
Does the virtual race count towards a Boston Marathon consecutive finish streak?
Yes. The virtual 125th Boston Marathon will count towards a participant’s consecutive finish streak. A participant who does not run either the virtual or the in-person race in 2021 will have their streak end.
Can a runner with a qualifying time who is not accepted into the in-person race register for the virtual race even if it is sold out?
Yes. Qualified runners will have a guaranteed opportunity to register for the virtual race even if the 70,000 field size has been met. Qualified runners are encouraged to wait until after receiving notice of acceptance or non-acceptance for the in-person race before registering for the virtual race.