Thousands Finish Boston Marathon

(AP) Thousands walk, run final mile of Boston Marathon
By AMY CRAWFORD
Associated Press
BOSTON
Rosy Spraker was only a half-mile from the finish line of her seventh Boston Marathon when the bombs went off. She received her medal later in the mail at her Lorton, Va., home. But she couldn’t bring herself to wear it until Saturday, when she and thousands of other athletes joined victims of the blast to run and walk the last mile of the race.

On April 15, explosions near the finish line killed three people and wounded more than 260.

On Saturday morning, about 3,000 runners and bombing victims gathered in light rain to run the final mile of the world’s oldest annual marathon, said Kathleen McGonagle, spokeswoman for those organizing the event known as OneRun.

OneRun honors victims and emergency workers and allows runners to reclaim the final mile, McGonagle said.

For many runners, it was also a chance to heal from the events of that harrowing day.

While the event was not a fundraiser, donations from some corporate sponsors covered OneRun operating costs, McGonagle said, and any leftover funds will be sent to a charity set up to benefit bombing victims.

Before the race, the National Anthem was sung by the choir from St. Ann Parish, where 8-year-old victim Martin Richard’s family worshipped.