Memorial runs honor Boston Marathon bombing victims

Around the country, and even beyond, runners are taking to their local streets and roads, their way of showing solidarity with victims of Monday’s Boston Marathon attack.

Pictured: Students at Roosevelt Elementary in Boise, Idaho, ran a silent mile Friday in honor of victims.

Roosevelt Elementary sixth-grader Mimi Fahnstrom, wearing a shirt marked with “Stay Strong Boston,” said she felt awesome after the run. “I have a lot of sympathy for the people in Boston.’’

Roosevelt teacher Stephanie Williams said her students came up with idea on their own. “One student asked if they could run a mile in silence to think about the victims,” Williams said. “Every student raised their hand to volunteer, I thought that was really neat coming from 12-year-olds.”

A woman wearing a special pennant on her shirt reading “Skopje runs for Boston,’’ warmed up Friday in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, before a run to show solidarity with victims of the Boston bombings.

People ran wearing shirts reading “Skopje for Boston” along the quay of the Vardar River in Skopje.

One of the runners near the front of the pack wore a Boston sweatshirt.

Vicky King expressed emotion as she led the crowd in prayer for the victims of the Marathon bombings, prior to a memorial run Thursday in Modesto, Calif.

Vicky King remained emotional throughout the prayer.

Alex Shoob (left), of Modesto, Calif., and others bowed their heads during a moment of silence before the Modesto memorial run.

Runners joined hands during a memorial service and run Thursday in Austin, Texas.

Runners held each other during the service.

A bagpipe player performed during the Austin memorial service and run.

Marion Munley Cartwright moved along during a run in Scranton, Pa., on Thursday. Donations from the event were targeted for One Fund Boston.

Runners participated in the Scranton run.

Eugene, Ore., runners gathered for 26 seconds of silence before a “Run for Boston’’ on Wednesday night. Nearly 300 runners participated.

About 250 runners in Abilene, Texas, prayed for the families of the three people killed and more than 170 injured in the Marathon bombings. The Abilene Runners Club and others held a “4.15.13 Run,’’ which measured 2.62 miles, on Wednesday.

Rolando Muniz held onto his daughter, Sara, 11, as they neared the finish line of a memorial run in Abilene.

Mitch Neubauer, president of the Purdue Triathlon Club, watched as Nicole Ellis wrote “Run for Boston’’ on his arm prior to a 1-mile memorial run Wednesday in West Lafayette, Ind. The triathlon club spearheaded the run.

Purdue University students ran past Bell Tower on campus as part of the run.

Purdue University students ran through campus on Wednesday.

Purdue University students participating in the run stood by the Class of 1939 Water Sculpture on campus prior to the “Run for Boston.’’

Participants in a similar run/walk in Silverdale, Wash., held a moment of silence Tuesday prior to their run.

Runner Amanda Rodgers (center) smiled while surrounded by a group hug after the moment of silence.

Runners made their way up a hill in Kitsap, Wash., during the memorial run.

Another solidarity run was held Tuesday in Kalamazoo, Mich. Brett Beier (left) organized the run.

Brian Julian, of Schoolcraft, Mich., pinned a memorial running bib to his jacket as he joined hundreds who participated in the Kalamazoo run.

Mary McCain (left) of Allegan, Mich., and Carla Mader of Augusta, Mich., helped each other stretch before the tribute run.

Toronto runners held a moment of silence before a memorial run in the Canadian city on Tuesday.

Runners made their way through the Toronto memorial run.

Runners passed a sign paying tribute to the Boston Marathon victims.

In Miami, runners stood together during the playing of the National Anthem as the Baptist Health South Florida Brickell Run Club honored the Boston Marathon victims with a run. Tuesday’s event drew about 1,000 runners.

Runners Judy Adler (left) and her daughter, Rachel Schapiro, hugged during a moment of silence prior to the Miami run.

Miami runner Michael Zapelini’s shirt paid tribute to the Boston victims.

Another memorial run was held Tuesday in Belgrade, Serbia. One runner held a banner reading, “Boston we are with you – Belgrade runners.’’

Runners arrived at the US Embassy in Belgrade as part of their organized memorial run.

Runners spoke with US Ambassador to Serbia Michael D. Kirby in front of the US Embassy in Belgrade during their run.

Atlanta hosted one of the first memorial runs. “We don’t want people to be afraid to get out and run, and this is a great way to get past it right away,’’ Karen Kaye of Big Peach Running Co. told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The running chain on Tuesday hosted 7 a.m. vigils and solidarity runs at each of its seven locations.

Pictured: John Tackett (left), of Atlanta, wept during an organized moment of silence before the memorial run.

Karen Kaye (right) embraced runner Reginald Bohannon before the start of the moment of silence.

Runners moved along Peachtree Street in Atlanta at the break of dawn.

Runners jogged along Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta as part of the memorial run.

The pack of runners took over Peachtree Street’s wide sidewalks.

Conn Jackson of Atlanta wore a shirt decorated with the US flag as he took part in the memorial run.

Reginald Bohannon of Atlanta held a US flag while standing outside Big Peach Running Co. after taking part in the run.