Boston Marathon hit by explosions

[Alexikokopops]

I was wondering, if I was in the London Marathon, following the events in Boston, would I still run?

Would you?

Would it be worth the risk or would it be worse to not run and waste all the weeks and months of preperation?

I'm not sure what I would do. (Not that I'm running anywhere). Most likely I would go and try and not be in the last packs of runners.

I'm in the situation. I'm still running. It hadn't even crossed my mind that I'm in more danger next week because of the explosions yesterday. If you start worrying about these things then the terrorists have won, right?

I'll still be running in Edinburgh Marathon in may. They just emailed all runners this email:

Dear EMF Runner,

We are shocked and saddened by the events that have unfolded in Boston. Our thoughts are with those who have been injured, and the friends and families who have lost loved ones.

The safety of you and your friends and family who are joining you on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, is our primary concern. We work very closely with Police Scotland, Public Safety teams and other emergency services and follow their advice to ensure that the safety of our runners and spectators is maintained. Our planning and staff training for all our events includes scenario planning for various incidents including what we have seen at the Boston Marathon. Please be assured that your safety is and will remain at the top of our priorities.

We look forward to seeing you in May and to celebrating your achievements through your hard work and training.

Best wishes,

The Edinburgh Marathon Events Team

I got this email this morning:

IMPORTANT RACE INFORMATION

We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news from Boston.

Our immediate thoughts are with all the people there and their families. It is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends and colleagues in marathon running.

We fully expect that Sunday’s race, Registration and associated events will go ahead as originally scheduled.

We are currently reviewing all our security arrangements with the Metropolitan Police and we will email you daily with further details as soon as these are available. Information will also be available on Twitter, Facebook and the website.

Please do not contact us at this stage for further information – we will contact you.

Regards

Hugh Brasher, Race Director, Virgin London Marathon

[Parafox]

9/11, 7/7 and now this were all the subject of drills on the same day that the bombing event occurred. Are these co-incidental events or are the drills being used as cover for the real thing?

If you are trained not to question, fine, but as a scientist I am. I would want to know how these "coincidences" could happen at three major bombing events.

All I can use as a reference point is my job. We have regular drills and staged events to involve all emergency teams and test the emergency planning. I have never been bombed yet, nor has anyone I know.

[cambridgefox]

I'm in the situation. I'm still running. It hadn't even crossed my mind that I'm in more danger next week because of the explosions yesterday. If you start worrying about these things then the terrorists have won, right?

I got this email this morning:

IMPORTANT RACE INFORMATION

We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news from Boston.

Our immediate thoughts are with all the people there and their families. It is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends and colleagues in marathon running.

We fully expect that Sunday’s race, Registration and associated events will go ahead as originally scheduled.

We are currently reviewing all our security arrangements with the Metropolitan Police and we will email you daily with further details as soon as these are available. Information will also be available on Twitter, Facebook and the website.

Please do not contact us at this stage for further information – we will contact you.

Regards

Hugh Brasher, Race Director, Virgin London Marathon

Firstly,good luck.

My wife didnt get in,but her friend did.We intend to go and watch as a family and give the runners our support and due to our friends husband working give her a lift home( let's hope she doesn't shit herself on the 20+ mile stage I hear about)

After seeing the Boston bombings last night we decided to still go.I very much doubt another bombing will take place soon after and what with theBoston bombing and Thatchers funeral,security wise I personally think its the safest time to go.

[Darkon84]

All I can use as a reference point is my job. We have regular drills and staged events to involve all emergency teams and test the emergency planning. I have never been bombed yet, nor has anyone I know.

Its the sheer scale of the coincidence which is worth questioning. During 9/11, the entire US Air Force was up over Alaska and so were not able to provide help. During the 7/7 attacks, they were exactly the same attacks which were being prepared for, and now this. I can't understand why they would feel the need to do bomb disposal drills on the same day as the marathon. What if something went wrong? Why not do it somewhere safer, quieter etc, not on the busiest day of the City's calendar and the second biggest single day sporting even in America.

[Parafox]

Its the sheer scale of the coincidence which is worth questioning. During 9/11, the entire US Air Force was up over Alaska and so were not able to provide help. During the 7/7 attacks, they were exactly the same attacks which were being prepared for, and now this. I can't understand why they would feel the need to do bomb disposal drills on the same day as the marathon. What if something went wrong? Why not do it somewhere safer, quieter etc, not on the busiest day of the City's calendar and the second biggest single day sporting even in America.

Maybe they knew there were to be major exercises on those dates. It's not particularly a secret (as far as i know). We get told quite openly when there's an exercise.

[whoareyaaa]

Normally by now don't we have a clue who "supposedly" done it or a group normally admits to it... any news yet ?

[MrSpaM]

Normally by now don't we have a clue who "supposedly" done it or a group normally admits to it... any news yet ?

Think there is a good chance it's some american nutjob unknown to the police who is now on the run. If it was a group that had done it they'd have claimed responsibilty by now.

[whoareyaaa]

Think there is a good chance it's some american nutjob unknown to the police who is now on the run. If it was a group that had done it they'd have claimed responsibilty by now.

Yeah you could be right, apparently there was only 2 bombs no more.

[FoxesAreBlue]

Last year for the London Marathon was on the same day as the Olympic Test event for the shooting so we were all emailed and warned not to be alarmed my the sounds oft he guns.

Good luck on Sunday Alexi, I wish I was out there with ya! Let us know how you get on in the running thread. I'll have to be content with watching hours of tv coverage this year again. My family are going to hate me!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004NRP4UM

Download "The Trap" from this album, it's the London Marathon Theme tune to get you in the mood. Incredible album anyway come to think of it!

[Bilo]

Anybody who knowingly funds terrorism is a cvnt.

The only way it's 'karma' is if one of the victims themselves was an IRA fundraiser. Otherwise they're just innocent victims, like the 8 year old boy who lost his life.

[BoneDog]

I'm sure the bombers didn't choose the Boston Marathon specifically because it's a marathon, more because it's a high profile event with lots of people present. In which case, we'd have to question if we go to any event at all (including the football).

One thing that's got me wondering is why did the people responsible for the bombings choose to trigger the bombs a few hours after alot of the crowd and VIP's had gone off somewhere else? If they were doing it because it's high profile and busy then why would they wait two or three hours and not do it when the first runners were coming in and the place was alot busier?

[sphericalfox]

Having lived in Dorchester, a friend of mine is good friends with the young lad's family. They are distraught, as you might expect, I'm sure they'll be glad to know some cvnt(s) on their other side of the planet thinks they deserved to die.

The typical comments from the cvnt brigade to do with anything remotely Irish isn't even surprising really. Anything really to bait and have a pop.

Get a fvcking mirror and point it at yourselves, you ignorant tw@ts!

[Carl the Llama]

One thing that's got me wondering is why did the people responsible for the bombings choose to trigger the bombs a few hours after alot of the crowd and VIP's had gone off somewhere else? If they were doing it because it's high profile and busy then why would they wait two or three hours and not do it when the first runners were coming in and the place was alot busier?

Maybe in a moment of pure inspiration the Boston bomb squad decided their training would be more effective if they practised on real bombs, and they're not very good at their job.

[Alexikokopops]

Last year for the London Marathon was on the same day as the Olympic Test event for the shooting so we were all emailed and warned not to be alarmed my the sounds oft he guns.

Good luck on Sunday Alexi, I wish I was out there with ya! Let us know how you get on in the running thread. I'll have to be content with watching hours of tv coverage this year again. My family are going to hate me!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004NRP4UM

Download "The Trap" from this album, it's the London Marathon Theme tune to get you in the mood. Incredible album anyway come to think of it!

Ta! I'm starting from the Green start line with the celebrities so keep an eye out for someone in an Anthony Nolan vest stalking Andrew Strauss.

[Jon the Hat]

Having lived in Dorchester, a friend of mine is good friends with the young lad's family. They are distraught, as you might expect, I'm sure they'll be glad to know some cvnt(s) on their other side of the planet thinks they deserved to die.

The typical comments from the cvnt brigade to do with anything remotely Irish isn't even surprising really. Anything really to bait and have a pop.

Get a fvcking mirror and point it at yourselves, you ignorant tw@ts!

Horrible for them, terrorism almost always impacts the innocent. I don't know how people go on when they lose kids, I really don't.

[Guest MattP]

Having lived in Dorchester, a friend of mine is good friends with the young lad's family. They are distraught, as you might expect, I'm sure they'll be glad to know some cvnt(s) on their other side of the planet thinks they deserved to die.

The typical comments from the cvnt brigade to do with anything remotely Irish isn't even surprising really. Anything really to bait and have a pop.

Get a fvcking mirror and point it at yourselves, you ignorant tw@ts!

Think they deserve to die? What a load of absolute nonsense.

Everyone sympathy is with the innocent. Its always them who seem to be at the end of shit like this whilst the ***** who support and fund it carry on.

Take a look at your own support of massacres of the innocent you have shown before whilst you sit there and judge others. ****.

[Guest MattP]

Anybody who knowingly funds terrorism is a cvnt.

The only way it's 'karma' is if one of the victims themselves was an IRA fundraiser. Otherwise they're just innocent victims, like the 8 year old boy who lost his life.

Has anyone on here really used karma?

[Alexikokopops]

There will be a period of silence before the London Marathon on Sunday, and all the runners will be wearing black ribbons

A PERIOD OF SILENCE

Following the tragic events that have unfolded in Boston in the last 24 hours, there will be a period of silence lasting 30 seconds prior to the start of the elite men's race and mass start at this Sunday’s Virgin London Marathon.

This period of silence will be observed on all three London Marathon starts (red, blue and green) and will be signalled by a whistle at both the start and finish of the 30 seconds.

As a show of solidarity with our Boston friends, we would also like you to wear a black ribbon at Sunday's race. You will have the opportunity to collect this ribbon when you register at the Expo to pick up your race number.

We have reviewed and will continue to review our security arrangements with the Metropolitan Police and other authorities.

We are being fully supported in all aspects of the event to safeguard our runners, spectators, volunteers and everyone connected to the event.

We will continue to email you daily and post the latest information on all events through Twitter, Facebook and our website.

Thank you for your support at this difficult time for the global running community. We are determined to deliver an amazing event that will focus on one of the core pillars of the London Marathon, which is 'to have fun and provide some happiness and a sense of achievement in a troubled world'.

[flowwolf]

Having lived in Dorchester, a friend of mine is good friends with the young lad's family. They are distraught, as you might expect, I'm sure they'll be glad to know some cvnt(s) on their other side of the planet thinks they deserved to die.

The typical comments from the cvnt brigade to do with anything remotely Irish isn't even surprising really. Anything really to bait and have a pop.

Get a fvcking mirror and point it at yourselves, you ignorant tw@ts!

As usual you have completely missed the point . No one on here has said anything remotely cvntish ( as you put it ) about the deaths of innocent people. The point made was that America and now Boston in particular have been shaken out of their isolationalism and terrorism has happened to the very people ( not individuals ) who for years funded the I.R.A.

It was all very well when they were collecting money in the Irish bars around Boston because there was no direct consequence to there stupid and very misguided actions. Perhaps now they will realise a terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist.

Now you grab a mirror have a hard look and apologise.

[leicsmac]

I'll say it again guys - there is no equivalence with the IRA here, for a variety of different reasons already put down in this thread. There's such a huge difference between the 'people of Boston' and the folk who actually funded the IRA that you simply can't equate the two in this case. And the difference in target selection and objectives too.

And...trying to insinuate that equivalence does also indicate, by inference, that the people of Boston somehow deserved this, unless someone can clearly explain otherwise to me.

[flowwolf]

I'll say it again guys - there is no equivalence with the IRA here, for a variety of different reasons already put down in this thread. There's such a huge difference between the 'people of Boston' and the folk who actually funded the IRA that you simply can't equate the two in this case. And the difference in target selection and objectives too.

And...trying to insinuate that equivalence does also indicate, by inference, that the people of Boston somehow deserved this, unless someone can clearly explain otherwise to me.

Agreed but there are a lot of people who have been over the last thirty odd years victims of I.R A. violence . And those people are well aware of the massive financial imput from the people of America and Boston in particular to the I.R.A coffers.

So it is not suprising when those people can't help feeling a sense of " well now they know how it feels " the equivalence is that the terrorist who did this are no better than the very terrorist they were funding for over thirty years.

[leicsmac]

Agreed but there are a lot of people who have been over the last thirty odd years victims of I.R A. violence . And those people are well aware of the massive financial imput from the people of America and Boston in particular to the I.R.A coffers.

So it is not suprising when those people can't help feeling a sense of " well now they know how it feels " the equivalence is that the terrorist who did this are no better than the very terrorist they were funding for over thirty years.

That's true enough. Thankfully I've never been directly involved in such a thing so I couldn't imagine how it would feel from any angle, but I can imagine that if you'd lost someone directly the urge to lash out at someone, anyone that was thought even vaguely responsible - even years after the incident - would be very strong. Take all the New Yorkers celebrating when OBL took two in the chest and one in the head for instance.

But if we do that, we're no better than those who did the atrocity. The feeling of vengeance only feels good for a certain amount of time, after all. And I can't agree with someone who hadn't been directly involved in an IRA terrorist act to hold the 'now they know what it's like' viewpoint themselves.

[flowwolf]

That's true enough. Thankfully I've never been directly involved in such a thing so I couldn't imagine how it would feel from any angle, but I can imagine that if you'd lost someone directly the urge to lash out at someone, anyone that was thought even vaguely responsible - even years after the incident - would be very strong. Take all the New Yorkers celebrating when OBL took two in the chest and one in the head for instance.

But if we do that, we're no better than those who did the atrocity. The feeling of vengeance only feels good for a certain amount of time, after all. And I can't agree with someone who hadn't been directly involved in an IRA terrorist act to hold the 'now they know what it's like' viewpoint themselves.

Well I have been involved in a I.R .A terrorist attack but I do not feel bitter or take any satisfaction in what happened in Boston. My only hope is that should the I.R.A rear it's ugly head again the people of Boston will remember that terrorism is not just confined to other places in the world and can happen to them too. And perhaps they will never again fund a terrorist organization.

[leicsmac]

Well I have been involved in a I.R .A terrorist attack but I do not feel bitter or take any satisfaction in what happened in Boston. My only hope is that should the I.R.A rear it's ugly head again the people of Boston will remember that terrorism is not just confined to other places in the world and can happen to them too. And perhaps they will never again fund a terrorist organization.

Well, hopefully the question will no longer arise. The accord there seems to be holding and the idiot hardliners on both sides seem to be becoming more and more marginalised.

[flowwolf]

Well, hopefully the question will no longer arise. The accord there seems to be holding and the idiot hardliners on both sides seem to be becoming more and more marginalised.

If only that were true. I am involved with ongoing peace work in N.Ireland and I am sorry to say the sectarian divide is as wide as ever. There is still a Berlin like wall in Belfast separating the Nationalist and Loyalist communities and an awful lot of what is going on at present never gets reported in our press. But like you I live in hope that they never return to those dark days again.

Thanks for the imput by the way , as ever reasonable and well thought out.