advertisement

Naperville store plans run, T-shirt sale for Boston victims

Moved by the tragedy at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, runners will take to the streets Monday evening in Naperville for a 5K in solidarity with the victims of the bombings.

Naperville Running Co. expects 200 participants to join in the run to show togetherness in the running community a week after the 117th Boston Marathon ended with three people dead and more than 170 injured.

“People are going to wear the Boston Marathon colors, which are blue and gold, or whatever race shirts they have if they haven’t done Boston,” said Kris Hartner, owner of Naperville Running Co. at 34 W. Jefferson Ave., where Monday evening’s 5K will begin at 6:30 p.m. “There’s just that energy, and people need a place to come together.”

While some running stores and clubs hosted solidarity runs as early as Tuesday night, Hartner said many more are scheduled across the nation on Monday by members of the Independent Running Retailers Association.

Even people who can’t participate in a local solidarity run can show their support for those killed and injured in the Boston bombings through another initiative Naperville Running Co. is leading — a Runners for Boston charity T-shirt sale.

Hartner said the store has developed a simple T-shirt design, featuring a logo with a heart, and is making the design available for running stores nationwide to print and sell.

The store expects 500 cotton T-shirts, free of advertisements, brand names or markings except for the logo, to be available for $20 by Monday at the latest.

“This is purely for Boston,” Hartner said. “We’re not doing this as a promotion.”

The entire $20 from each Runners for Boston T-shirt sale will be donated to The One Fund Boston Inc., a charity Hartner said has received the stamp of approval from the Boston Athletic Association, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino.

“Our goal is to write a $10,000 check to that charity,” Hartner said.

Elgin runner tells Facebook friends she’s OK

Palatine area running club hosts Boston memorial run

Bombs made from pressure cookers; search on for suspect

For suburban runners, Boston Marathon won't be the same

Suburban marathoners: 'We keep running no matter what'

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.