Marathoners respond to cancelation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg and race organizers made the decision Friday to cancel the New York City Marathon.

It was decided that the race might be a distraction from the recovery effort – so it was canceled.

Some marathoners flew as far as Ireland and spent nearly $30,000 on their trip.

Noblesville Police Lieutenant Bruce Barnes drove to New York with his family because he planned to run the marathon on Sunday. He says he wishes the plan to cancel the marathon had come sooner.

“But, at the same time, when you see this stuff on TV and you see the devastation and you hear the stories,” Barnes said. “My goodness, I think anybody has kind to just embrace that and say it is just a race and this is their lives."

Because of the cancelation in New York, Saturday’s marathon in Indianapolis will be more crowded.

The spokesman for the race says they have added about 300 runners to the local marathon field. The team says they will do their best to accommodate anyone who makes it into the office Friday night.