The world’s biggest marathon takes place on Sunday despite the deadliest act of suspected terrorism to strike New York City since planes hit the Twin Towers in 2001.<br /><br />With trucks now being used to cause carnage, security forces are blocking off roads as part of painstaking efforts to keep runners and residents safe.<br /><br />“We have more than doubled our observation teams, our rooftop observation posts as well as our counter-sniper teams from the Emergency Services Unit throughout the boroughs, not just here in Manhattan, “ NYPD Chief of Department Carlos Gomez told journalists.<br /><br />“And we’ve also added more heavy weapons teams.”<br /><br />Heightened security in New York for this Sunday’s marathon https://t.co/avshjulELX— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) 1 novembre 2017<br /><br />ISIL claimed responsibility for last week’s truck attack that killed eight people in lower Manhattan. An Uzbek immigrant is in custody accused of mowing people down on a popular bike path.<br /><br />New York though will not be cowed.<br /><br />“New Yorkers are resilient and I think they love to make statements and this is a way to make a statement to come together and show the world that… we don’t hide and we can’t be put down,” said race director Peter Ciaccia.<br /><br />“And I think the marathon brings that kind of spirit out in people.”<br /><br />Last year, more than 51,000 people finished the New York Marathon which was first held in 1970 and run entirely in Central Park.<br />
