Organizers decide not to change name of ‘Run/Walk BOOM!!!’ races

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, Alex Cooper thought the name of his organization’s charity road races surely would have to change.

The name of the Huntington Woods, Mich., event? The “Run/Walk BOOM!!!” races.

The moniker is a reference to the Detroit suburb’s July 4 fireworks show that the 1-mile/5K races support. But Cooper and other members of the organizing committee thought that name might be taken a bit differently in the light of the tragic events in Boston last month.

They posted a survey on the race website asking what people thought of the name. As expected, some said a new name was in order. But others felt such a move would be a knee-jerk reaction.

After considering the responses, the organizing committee decided to keep the name this year and reevaluate in the future.

“I certainly thought we had to change it, but after reading all the comments, I see a lot of people have a different take,” Cooper said. “No matter what we do some people will be satisfied and some won’t, but the level of intensity from the people saying don’t change it was a little stronger.”

Moments of silence are planned at the start of the races to honor Boston victims.

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