Security stepped-up for Rock 'n' Roll Seattle
SEATTLE - Summertime, and the living is easy! That's what about 20,000 runners felt while running in the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Seattle Saturday morning. The annual marathon and half-marathon welcomed runners from across the USA and 22 other countries, raising thousands of dollars for charities including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the ASPCA.
The marathon race course started at the Seattle Center at 7 a.m. and traveled through downtown Seattle, across Interstate - 90 to Mercer Island, back along Lake Washington Boulevard, ending up back at Seattle Center.
Seattle police closed numerous streets in and around the race course.
In addition to road closures, runners noticed more officers patrolling the course this year. Bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to canvas areas where people had gathered to watch the race.
"It makes your feel safer out here, but it kind of sucks that you have to have that kind of dog out here at a fun event," said Helen Yee, who came from Austin, Texas to run the race.
Yee finished the Boston Marathon 20 minutes before the bombs went off. Saturday's race was her first since the tragedy.
Dennis Zaborack finished Saturday's race wearing the same shirt he wore when he was stopped a half-mile from the Boston Marathon finish line.
"There were 10 policeman running side by side with me towards the bombing site. I didn't know what was happening," said Zaborack.
Zaborack was hoping to qualify for next year's Boston Marathon with his finish in Seattle.
Seattle's marathon went off with no issues aside from slowing traffic in the metro.