But there are many others within the running industry who worried a day like Monday could happen. A longtime race official I know who has worked five world-class marathons (Boston, New York, London, Berlin and Chicago), told me this had been many organizers’ fear for years.
“The one opening in the security planning for everybody were the fans; there is no way to screen your fans,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “You can screen your runners, volunteers, media and race officials — you can make them all produce proof that they are who they say they are — but if the arena of competition is a city’s streets, how do you possibly screen every person walking up to the race? You have to buy a ticket to get to the finish line area at many big races, but unfortunately anyone with money could procure one.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...y.html?hpid=z3
Cowperson