Because of wet and cool weather in the forecast, the organizers of the Boston Marathon are making changes to the scheduled start times for runners. The Boston Athletic Association said it is planning for conditions similar to last year's race, when it was raining with temperatures in the 40s.StormTeam 5 meteorologist Kelly Ann Cicalese said current forecasts call for the border of the front to hover near the northern border of Massachusetts Monday morning, which means it could be nearly 60 degrees at 9 a.m. at the starting line in Hopkinton. However, a small deviation could make a big difference. "If that warm front were to dip just a little bit farther south here, that would mean 40s for us," she said.Because of that forecast, runners assigned to the fourth wave will start their race immediately after those in the third wave. Originally, a 25 minute gap was scheduled between those two waves. Under the new plan, Wave 3 will start at 10:50 a.m. and Wave 4 will follow immediately afterward. BAA organizers said the goal is to reduce the amount of time runners spend waiting in the Athletes' Village prior to starting the race. Additionally, the BAA said it is adding more medical aid capacity along the course, adding things like walls and heaters to tents and distributing ponchos to volunteers. "Our race history has shown that the forecasted conditions will cause unique challenges for athletes whose participation requires specific equipment that limits contact with the ground. This includes participants in the wheelchair division, handcycle program, duo program, and runners competing with prosthesis. Eligible athletes who elect deferral will receive a complimentary entry into the 2020 Boston Marathon. For those athletes, qualifying standards will be waived if a deferment is selected," the BAA wrote in a statement. Because of wet and cool weather in the forecast, the organizers of the Boston Marathon are making changes to the scheduled start times for runners. The Boston Athletic Association said it is planning for conditions similar to last year's race, when it was raining with temperatures in the 40s. Advertisement Related Content Rain returns to drench Marathon runners StormTeam 5 meteorologist Kelly Ann Cicalese said current forecasts call for the border of the front to hover near the northern border of Massachusetts Monday morning, which means it could be nearly 60 degrees at 9 a.m. at the starting line in Hopkinton. However, a small deviation could make a big difference. "If that warm front were to dip just a little bit farther south here, that would mean 40s for us," she said. Because of that forecast, runners assigned to the fourth wave will start their race immediately after those in the third wave. Originally, a 25 minute gap was scheduled between those two waves. Under the new plan, Wave 3 will start at 10:50 a.m. and Wave 4 will follow immediately afterward. BAA organizers said the goal is to reduce the amount of time runners spend waiting in the Athletes' Village prior to starting the race. Additionally, the BAA said it is adding more medical aid capacity along the course, adding things like walls and heaters to tents and distributing ponchos to volunteers. "Our race history has shown that the forecasted conditions will cause unique challenges for athletes whose participation requires specific equipment that limits contact with the ground. This includes participants in the wheelchair division, handcycle program, duo program, and runners competing with prosthesis. Eligible athletes who elect deferral will receive a complimentary entry into the 2020 Boston Marathon. For those athletes, qualifying standards will be waived if a deferment is selected," the BAA wrote in a statement.<doc-sep>The forecast for 123rd Boston Marathon this upcoming Monday does not look bright, and the Boston Athletic Association announced some changes ahead of the potentially heavy rain and thunder on race day. Three days ahead of the race, forecasts indicate that widespread rain is likely Sunday night into Monday morning, with the chance of thunder all day and scattered showers in the afternoon. Temperatures could start in the mid-30s with wind chills, before soaring higher, possibly into the 60s. While most start times will remain the same, the BAA announced that the last wave of runners, Wave 4, will now start immediately after Wave 3. The schedule initially provided a 25-minute gap between the two groups of non-elite runners, but that gap will be removed to reduce the amount of time Wave 4 runners would be waiting at the starting line in Hopkinton. The association is also allowing para athletes to defer from the race and receive free entry into the 2020 Boston Marathon, noting how wet weather creates “unique challenges” for those in wheelchairs, hand-cycles and those running with prosthetic limbs. Adjustments will be made to staging areas to ensure “weather readiness," like tent walls, additional heat and flooring, as well as extra accommodation at medical aid stations, the BAA said in a statement. Volunteers will also have access to ponchos and and hand-warmers.<doc-sep>The men's and women's races at the Boston Marathon ended very differently. Kenya's Lawrence Cherono outsprinted Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa over the final few steps to win the men's race Monday. Ethiopia's Worknesh Degefa broke away from the rest of the field early and ran alone for the last 20 miles to win the women's event. READ They went about it differently: Cherono of Kenya wins in one of the tightest stretch duels in the event's history as Ethiopia's Degefa surged away from the women's lead pack at the 5-mile mark. Bonnie D. Ford The heel and the heal, Jordan Hasay is back: Hasay rebounded from multiple heel fractures to finish third at the Boston Marathon. She has now finished third in her three marathons. Read Worknesh Degefa, left, of Ethiopia, winner of the women's division, and Lawrence Cherono, right, of Kenya, winner of the men's division of the 123rd Boston Marathon, hold the trophy at the finish line. EPA/CJ GUNTHER Features, news and video<doc-sep>
BOSTON (CBS) – There will be some changes to this year’s Boston Marathon because of the expected rain on Monday. Thousands of runners slogged through an uncomfortable race in cold downpours last year, so this year the Boston Athletic Association will start the fourth and final wave of runners immediately after the third wave, instead of starting the waves 25 minutes apart. That way runners will spend less time waiting in the cold and rain at the Athletes Village in Hopkinton. The BAA is also offering deferments to registered wheelchair athletes, handcycle, duos, and athletes who use prosthetics because the roads to Boston will be wet and slippery. Staging areas will have more heat, medical stations along the course will be prepared for a potential overflow of runners and volunteers will be given ponchos and hand warmers. Warm up tents will be positioned along the course sat BAA COO Jack Fleming. “The buses that are the early drop off for the runners, we will take them along the side of the course in each of the eight cities and towns and position them strategically.” Read: How To Prepare For A Wet Boston Marathon BAA CEO Tom Grilk say they examine all contingencies ahead of time – even if lightning became a possibility and they had to move the marathoners off the course. If that were to happen, Grilk said there are pre-established centers and buses that would take in runners. Spectators would be on their own. And don’t expect race day to be moved – ever. “The marathon is run on Patriots Day or it’s not run,” Grilk told reporters Friday. However, after the rain at last year’s marathon, runners who are back for a second round prepared for the weather. “I’m definitely more prepared because of last year’s weather,” said one runner. John Berger, of Minnesota, said he’s more prepared with better base layers and more layers. However, he said,” It’s deflating morally, so it’s hard to keep going.” Check: Latest Weather Forecast The latest forecast calls for rain showers on Monday, but temperatures should rise into the 50s during the race, perhaps even the 60s by the afternoon. At this point, it does not look nearly as cold as last year, according to Terry Eliasen, WBZ-TV’s executive weather producer. If you’re wondering what you should wear to get through the day, WBZ’s marathon analysts have some great suggestions here. And you might want to bring a trash bag. WBZ-TV is the exclusive local broadcaster of the Boston Marathon. Pre-race coverage begins at 7 a.m. followed by race coverage at 9 a.m. WBZ-TV’s coverage will be streaming on CBSBoston.com beginning at 9 a.m. The stream is limited to New England.