Safety is a top priority during the New York City Marathon following the deadly Halloween attack in Manhattan where a pickup truck was used as a weapon, which killed eight people . <br /><br />As what’s become custom for large events in New York, sand trucks will park along the perimeter and police helicopters will patrol from above. <br /><br />K9 units and heavily armed counterterrorism officers will also be among the crowds, as well plain clothes officers.<br /><br />The New York City Police Department is also doubling its observation patrols. <br /><br />“Officers from our emergency services unit from our strategic response group from our critical response command, they’ll be at fixed locations along the route but they`ll also have a mobile response capability if they`re needed elsewhere.” said NYPD Chief of Department Carlos M. Gomez.<br /><br />The 2013 Boston marathon bombing showed that huge events like this can often be target. <br /><br />But veterans of that race haven’t been deterred from competing this weekend. <br /><br />“I was actually in 2013 part of the terrorist attack in Boston and competed that day.” said long distance runner, Shalane Flanagan.<br /><br />“I very much have compassion and understanding for the situation. But the one thing I do know, and which Boston showed, is the resilience, and how running can actually be quite cathartic.”<br /><br />An expected 51 thousand runners will cross the finish line in Central Park, passing about two-and-a-half million spectators along the route, which covers the five boroughs of the city.<br />
