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Runners gather to remember Boston victims

Marathoner Liz Benson was numbed by the carnage she saw online from the Boston Marathon, a race she had run only a year ago.
A01-Local-Boston-Remembered
Wearing the jacket she got after running the Boston Marathon last year Liz Benson along with other runners at the Running Room in Red Deer pause for a minute of silence to remember those who were killed and wounded Monday in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Marathoner Liz Benson was numbed by the carnage she saw online from the Boston Marathon, a race she had run only a year ago.

On Monday afternoon, she checked her iPad for race results, but was confronted by the horrible images and news stories about the twin explosions that killed three and injured about 180 others.

“It was complete shock. Not in my wildest, wildest imagination did I expect to see anything like that,” said the Red Deer registered nurse.

“I basically just spent the entire afternoon feeling very numb and very, very sad.”

She so clearly remembers her own much happier experience crossing the same finish line last year.

“It was the most incredible day, and to think it was so, so sad this year.”

Benson was one of about 30 runners who gathered at Red Deer’s Running Room on Wednesday for a moment of silence to remember of the victims of Boston. Each runner donned a yellow arm band to show their support and their training runs were dedicated to the participants, their families and fans in Boston.

The tragedy has strengthened Benson’s resolve to run the historic race again.

“This morning I decided I really, really want to get back to Boston. I wasn’t sure up until today I wanted to run more marathons.

“But this has just given me that extra bit of drive.”

Running Room co-manager Jen Phillips, like so many others, was deeply affected by the images she saw from Boston.

“Just my heart sank. I had goose bumps. I just thought how could anybody do this at a run. (They’re) harmless.”

She knew about five people who were in Boston for the race, all of whom were safe.

Melissa Schulze, of Blackfalds, said, “I couldn’t imagine having that happen. I couldn’t imagine being there.”

The day after the explosions she wore her Vancouver marathon finisher shirt as her own private gesture of support.

Les Simpson, of Blackfalds, who is training for his first half-marathon, also felt for those in Boston.

“People are out there, they were training hard, and what they should be doing is enjoying it as they come across that line, instead of running for their lives.”

pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com