VERO BEACH – Before the sun rose it was silent, and during the somber memorial run it remained that way to honor those killed and hurt in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Around a hundred runners ventured out in the dark for Brooke Malone’s event, “Patriots Day Mile of Silence.”
The event, which was first meant for friends, attracted others, after media coverage and runners finding her facebook event page: http://on.fb.me/Zztdza
“I did this to run with friends, and it blew up, and it became a very large community of athletes in the county,” said Malone.
As the crowd assembled in front of Memorial Island, Malone was standing in a spotlight holding the sign, “We Run.”
“It’s absolutely devastating what happened,” said Tom Rhodes.
“For the 5,742 that did not cross,” another sign read.
The route took runners North on Riverside Park Drive, East on Beachland Boulevard, South on Mockingbird Drive and return to the flag pole at Memorial Island.
“I’m new to running, very, very new, and I feel like I chose a place to call my playground and on Monday someone entered this playground and tried to make a mess,” said Malone.
During the run, many ran with the American flag.
“Our hearts are broken for the fallen and injured and for the evil in the hearts of those responsible. We ask they be brought to swift justice,” another sign said.
Breaking the silence the crowd started to sing the Star Spangled Banner.
“We know one thing the runners would want us to do would be to keep running,” said Rhodes.