How Will This Affect Future Marathons?

The purpose of terrorism lies not just in the violent act itself. It is in producing terror. It sets out to inflame, to divide, to produce consequences which they then use to justify further terror. - Tony Blair

Does writing about or even suggesting the idea that this attack will affect future marathons confirm the the success of the terrorist ideal?  I don't know, but one thing is for sure, precautions, committees and extra focus will be extolled upon the overall "security" of a marathon after this weekends atrocities. 

But what does increased security mean? 

How do we "secure" the thousands upon thousands of people strewn across 26.2 miles of a city?

Do we cut down the number of people able to participate?

Do we perform background tests before one is allowed race in an event?

Do we constrain the marathon down to a smaller and more logistically securable area?

Will the overhead media helicopters be swapped out for blackhawks or predator drones?

At some point we have to sucumb to the fact that we cannot possibly monitor every square inch of these events.

What I expect is that yes, there will be a few minor roadblocks in your marathon experience. Stricter finish line access, metal detectors before you enter an expo, and a few extra dogs sniffing around are the bare minimum of increased force. 

But at the end of the day, the marathon will move on, and so will the running/Boston community. For just as we must travel in planes, go to a movie, and send our kids to school. We must run.