By Jennifer Keiper, WLS-AM News
(CHICAGO) More than 40,000 runners and even more spectators will hit Chicago streets this Sunday for the 40th annual Chicago Marathon. Security is on the minds of many.
Paula Radcliffe set a world record during her win here and is taking part in marathon events this weekend. “It goes through your mind but I think the biggest thing is that you can trust that the organizers here will have done everything that they can to limit the possibility of something like that happening. You can’t ever guarantee something but you also can’t not go about your life as you would normally and you can’t let these sick people win,” said Radcliffe.
New information Thursday revealed the Las Vegas gunman had also booked hotel rooms in Chicago during the Lollapalooza music festival earlier this year and many high rise buildings and hotels line the marathon route.
Marathon Executive Director Carey Pinkowski tells ABC7, “There are a lot of mass participation events that precede us, during the year, and there’s a lot of best practices that are shared between the producers.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel backs that up by stressing that police and federal authorities have undergone a dozen training sessions and are ready for anything.
@ 2017 WLS-AM News
