London Marathon 2013: Increased Security in Wake of Boston Bombings

In the wake of the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombings, the city of London is approaching this Sunday's London Marathon with much more caution and increased security presence.

In no way connected, the effect from last Monday's Boston Marathon still resonates with citizens around the globe.

In an effort to make participants of this year's London Marathon feel safe and protected, city officials have increased police and security presence by forty percent.  Several hundred more armed police officers will patrol the city, on high alert for any suspicious or questionable behavior.

Sunday's race will continue as planned, through many of the city's highly populated areas, beginning in Blackheath and finishing near Buckingham Palace. The over 37,000 runners will run the 26.2 mile course passing such iconic sites as the Tower Bridge and Big Ben.

With search dogs at the ready, several hundred thousand spectators are expected to show up and line London's raceway streets. With threat levels the same throughout the city as they were prior to the Boston blasts, London officials want to make it clear that spectators are encouraged to come out and enjoy the festivities and cheer on runners as planned.

With so many devastating events in prior years, and now in Boston, is the social climate at large-scale events like this one forever changed? Will you take part in a marathon like this again? Will you be a spectator at – or a participant in – the London Marathon this year?

We'd love to hear your feedback in the comment section below.  Let us know!