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| Triangle area runners Dave Cockman and Olga Kruger after the race |
Staff Writer
Qualified
runners from across the nation came together to race the annual Boston Marathon
one year after the shocking bombing that occurred at last year’s race. This
year’s race was held on Monday, April 21, 2014. Nearly 36,000 competitors ran
to honor those that lost their lives or faced severe injuries due to the
bombing. Runner Lee Ann Yanni was greatly affected by the attack, and lost the
ability to walk for five weeks following the 2013 race. After the incident she
trained hard and refused to give up until she was able to run to her fullest
potential again. Shortly before this year’s marathon, Yanni said, “I am running
for those who can’t.” The tragic events of last year’s race have touched the lives
of many. An additional 9,000 runners participated this year compared to the
2013 race.
Security
for this year’s event was extremely tight to ensure the safety of the runners
and observers. Costumes that cover the face, backpacks, bulky clothing, and
containers with more than one liter of liquid were strictly prohibited from the
race. The race fortunately went off without a hitch and the runners enjoyed the
highly supportive environment. Local runner Dave Cockman said, “It was great
being there to honor the memorial for the bombing. Everywhere you ran there
were people supporting you on the side lines.” Another local runner, Olga
Kruger, said that her favorite part of the race was “being in an environment
where you could feel and see such positive energy.” Meb Keflezighi, 38, won the
male’s division with a time of 2:08:37. Rita Jeptoo, 33, won the women’s
division for the second consecutive year with a time of 2:18:57.
Source:
CNN
