Weekly RoundUp: Illinois Marathon

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On your mark. Get set. Go!

Runners in the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon are set to hit the road this week. Registration is closed for all but the youth run, according to the marathon’s official Web site. The site also makes a plea for more volunteers.

Support for those injured in the Boston Marathon bomb attacks, as well as security for the Illinois Marathon, is making headlines this week. Here’s some recent news coverage.

Police increase security for Illinois Marathon – The Daily Illini

“Although police do not expect any safety threats at Saturday’s Illinois Marathon, public safety agencies are addressing security concerns for the event in light of the bombing that took place last Monday at the Boston Marathon.

Capt. Roy Acree, University of Illinois Police Department, said the departments have not had safety problems in the past, but the officers would not be doing their jobs if they didn’t factor the incident in Boston into their procedures.

“We’ve never really had any issues with people causing problems,” Acree said. “Since this thing happened in Boston, I think we would not be prudent if we didn’t do what we needed to do as far as trying to have more of a police presence — trying to do things a little bit different to make things safer.””

Community shows support for Boston Marathon victims – Illinois Homepage.net

“As we continue to watch the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath unfold, some in our community are trying to help. They’re doing so by tying up their shoes and linking to fellow American’s across the country.

Jonathan Drake is used to comforting people with his voice. After seeing the Boston Marathon bombing, the Illini Radio Group is comforting people on the East Coast with its heart.

“For a lot of us the first thing we thought of when we heard about Boston was, we know what it’s like to have a marathon in our city and we wouldn’t want to go through something like that so the least we can do is dedicate some of our efforts,” says Drake.”

Beefed-Up Security at Illinois Marathon Limits Access to Finish Line – Illinois Public Media

“Next weekend’s Illinois Marathon will have a new rule — or rather, tougher enforcement of an old rule.

In light of Monday’s bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, spectators at the finish line of the Illinois Marathon will be barred from walking out to meet the runners.

That’s according to a team of public safety agency representatives, who met to discuss the marathon on Wednesday.

Rick Atterberry of the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency says runners can meet up with family and friends at a nearby area, but not on the finish line.”

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