What goes through the head of a road race executive director when the hear of the horrific bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon?

''When I first heard that there were explosions, you think 'I hope its not a bomb?'. Maybe its a gas main, you hope it's not man made,'' said Tim Reed, race director for Utica's Boilermaker 15k Road Race.

''I was trying to process the whole thing and then I realize, my son is in Boston. I tried to call him, and the cell phone [service] was down,'' Reed said, adding he later contacted his son, who is fine.

''Our finish line coordinator, Dave Katz, he's been at the Boston Marathon for the last 14 years. This year he decided not to go,'' Reed said.

''The Boston Marathon race is released in three waves. Elites are at 10:00. Then the second wave at 10:20, then another wave at 10:40. That Boylston Street area, its a close area. You've got buildings on either side.''

Although it is too soon to tell what precautionary measures this would prompt at the Boilermaker, Reed said any security enhancements likely wouldn't be invisible to runners.

''If you start changing your too much, I think they've won,'' he said.

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