Boston Marathon Bombings Shake Berkley, Huntington Woods Runners

A sense of anxiety, mixed with defiance, rippled through the Metro Detroit running community following a pair of deadly bombings Monday at the Boston Marathon finish line.

Huntington Woods resident Ed Kozloff, who is president of the Motor City Striders running club, said he anticipates local race officials will reassess security measures in the wake of the bombings.

"The (Detroit) Free Press Marathon goes over the Ambassador Bridge and through a tunnel," he said. "I would think the tunnel people and the bridge people will have some meetings."

[Read: Boston Marathon Tragedy: Heartbreak for Runners Everywhere]

Kozloff – whose daughter-in-law was cheered on by his son in the Boston Marathon on Monday, finshing safely 14 minutes before the blasts – said interest in running has increased in recent years.

"You can have the slowest person in the world line up with an Olympian. In terms of just a community event that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy, this has really been a boom." Kozloff said. "People are usually in a pretty good mood."

However, he said the mood may be a bit different in future races.

"Runners will be more aware of what's going on around them," Kozloff said. "I think anxiety will probably be raised in many a runner."

Berkley resident Alissa Malerman said she won't let the bombings stop her from participating in her first race this fall.

"The bombings leave me feeling very vulnerable as I am planning to run The Detroit Free Press Marathon relay on Oct. 20," Malerman said. "It will be my first race and I was already concerned about physically being able to do it, as well as crossing the border, bridge and tunnel security.

"I will stay tuned as we learn more about Boston and hope things will be more secure in October," Malerman said. "But my plans are to keep running and doing my best."

A message on the Detroit Free Press Marathon Facebook page Tuesday read: "We are shocked and saddened by the events that happened at The Boston Marathon yesterday. Our thoughts are with all those affected in any way by this tragedy."

Several runners who commented on the post said they would don their marathon T-shirts in solidarity with the victims in Boston and would not be deterred from racing in the future.

"I changed my half marathon to the whole today," Dawn Porta wrote on the Detroit Free Press Marathon Facebook page. "I refuse to let fear prevent me from lacing up and I suppose this is my own act of defiance."

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