All runners are of a kindred spirit.
As soon as he saw the Boston Marathon bombings, Brian Blackburn instinctively knew he needed to do something to help those injured in the carnage.
With Sunday鈥檚 sa国际传媒 10K quickly approaching, the Victorian who has run 15 marathons, made a few calls and pulled together the sa国际传媒 10K chapter of One Fund Boston, the umbrella fund set up to funnel donations to those victims who will need it in their rehabilitation.
鈥淭errorism knows no borders,鈥� said Blackburn, a former radio executive who now coaches business executives.
鈥淣either does solidarity or acts of kindness and support. This strikes a chord with runners for obvious reasons,鈥� added Blackburn.
One Fund Boston support stickers will be available by donation all weekend at the Race Expo at the Crystal Garden. Runners can wear the stickers on their race bibs and volunteers and spectators on their shirts or coats.
One Fund Boston T-shirts are also available for a donation.
鈥淔inancial donations won鈥檛 change lives but will lift some of the burden for those victims in Boston,鈥� said Blackburn.
鈥淎nd the optics, in terms of solidarity, are very important.鈥�
Making this happen on such short notice was not easy. Blackburn said it would not have been possible without the support of FX Graphics, Rob Reid of Frontrunners and Shannon Kowalko of the sa国际传媒.
鈥淲e were able to mobilize this within 24 hours,鈥� said Blackburn, who was president of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League before coming to the Island.
鈥淭here is no such word as can鈥檛.鈥�
That was spoken like a true runner.
Reid was due in Boston next week for a previously scheduled engagement, to take his daughter Braden to meet the recipient of her her bone marrow donation, who just happens to be from the Boston area. While there, Reid will personally deliver the TC 10K donation total to One Fund Boston.
鈥淏oston is a pretty special place for runners,鈥� said Reid, race director of the annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon, which is an official timing race for the Boston Marathon, out of which more than 300 runners qualify for Boston each year.
鈥淭he Island is a big running region and people here have always felt a connection [to Boston].鈥�
The total raised in Victoria for One Fund Boston could be significant, noted Reid.
There were 11,801 runners registered for the 2013 TC 10K as of Wednesday鈥檚 early-registration close, with late registration on-going through 6 p.m. today at Crystal Garden. That doesn鈥檛 take into account the family, friends and spectators who can also buy the stickers and T-shirts.
The 2012 sa国际传媒 10K featured 12,543 participants. Organizers said this year鈥檚 total will be between 12,500 and 13,000, making it the third- largest 10K race in sa国际传媒.
Race director Jacquie Sanderson acknowledged there will be extra security precautions taken Sunday in the wake of Boston.
鈥淭here will be added resources but they will not affect [impede] anybody,鈥� said Sanderson, who declined to comment what those added measures would be.
鈥淲e want to make sure everybody feels safe. We have been informed [by the authorities] that Victoria is a low-risk area and we are not anticipating any problems.鈥�
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