Marathon delays sign-up for ’11

Boston Marathon officials on Thursday announced that registration for next year’s race has been postponed as organizers formed a coronavirus advisory group to figure out when — and how — the massive inperson event can be held safely from Hopkinton to Copley Square.

Registration for the Boston Marathon has annually happened in September, but that won’t happen this year.

Instead, the race’s COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group — comprised of medical, public safety and race operations experts, as well as city and state officials — will determine an updated registration timeline amid the virus.

The group will recommend strategies that address the health and safety of participants, volunteers, staff and community members.

“COVID-19 has affected mass participation road races in ways that we never could have imagined,” Tom Grilk, CEO of the B.A.A. and co-chairman of the advisory group, said in a statement. “Convening this cross-sector group of professionals with decades of experience in epidemiology, viral infection, mitigation strategies, and our own race operations was entirely necessary to begin planning for the 125th Boston Marathon.”

“September is usually a time for the B.A.A. to begin opening registration for April’s Boston Marathon and planning for an already established field size,” he added. “We know, however, that we cannot open registration until we have a better understanding of where the virus may be in the spring.”