KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One week from Tuesday marks the first anniversary of the Boston bombing. Three people were killed and hundreds of others were injured when two bombs went off near the finish line of the race on April 15th, 2013. This year more than 120 local runners will compete in the Boston Marathon. That includes a metro doctor who was finished running when the bombs went off.
This will be Dr. Timothy Walline of Sabates Eye Centers fifth Boston Marathon.
“It was unreal,” he said thinking back to a year ago. “Just horrific and just hard to even imagine when you go to an event like that that’s usually so exciting and celebratory and then all of the sudden the whole mood tuns extremely somber.”
Dr. Walline was with his wife back at the hotel after completing the race when his phone started ringing… loved ones concerned about his well-being.
“It was just hard to even process or even believe it was really true,” he said.
Dr. Walline said he’s not running for himself this year. He said he’s running for the victims, to remember and honor those hurt and killed.
Kaylin Mayse from Plattsburg who’s running the Boston Marathon for the very first time said that’s also why she’s running.
“I feel like you can’t control everything and we’re all going to go out there and run our race and honor those people that were affected last year and reclaim it this year.”
Mayse said last year’s attacks have made her even more determined to compete.
“As runners I think that we all inherently just have this drive, we’re all running for our own reasons and then when you throw on top of that what has happened with this event last year you have even more of this you know what, you’re not going to hold me back kind of attitude and enthusiasm,” Mayse said.
The 2014 Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 21st.