The town of Wellesley is the halfway point of the Boston Marathon. And while many families and supporters make it a tradition to cheer on the runners, one tradition strikes a chord — a very loud chord — the Scream Tunnel.
Hundreds of young women let out ear-piercing screams and frantically wave signs, asking runners for kisses. The Scream Tunnel is an annual tradition that Wellesley College says is as old as the Boston Marathon. Senior Molly Tyler is president of Munger Hall — the dorm that’s located right on the marathon route at the halfway point. She says she and her dorm mates wanted to make this year’s marathon extra special.
“When we heard of last year’s events, we thought, you know, it could have been us," she said. "It was very upsetting to us. So this year, we thought, let’s make this the biggest, craziest, most wild scream tunnel that anyone’s ever seen.”
It was wild and crazy as students greeted each wave of runners with screams and cheers. But it was hard to ignore the police presence. Wellesley Police amped up security this year, bringing in military police and patrolmen from other towns. Plain clothes officers made their way up and down the Scream Tunnel, their stern expressions a stark contrast to the smiles and cheers of supporters. Farther down, the NYPD bomb squad had parked a van in the town center. When asked why they were here, a bomb squad member said it was standard procedure. All this security didn’t dampen any spirits. In fact, Molly Tyler says it made her feel safe.
"We’re OK with that because we want to have the best time possible," she said. "I don’t want to be worried about some event that’s as traumatic as last year’s. The fact that undercover people are here makes the community very safe. We appreciate that they’re here watching out for us."
