Local Boston Marathon Runners, Family, Friends Speak Out About Explosions
by Elizabeth Hur
MEDIA, Pa., (CBS) - There were scores of runners from the Tri-state region registered to run in the Boston Marathon.
We've learned that 762 who started the race came from Pennsylvania. 462 ran from New Jersey and 42 runners were from Delaware and in Kent and New Castle Counties.
The Boston Marathon is a huge event in the running world and many people from our area knew someone who took part or cheered on those in the race.
Terry Lillicrapp of Media is one of them. He checked in with his wife, Kate as often as he can, still feeling uneasy with Kate still in Boston after finishing her 9th marathon, her first in Boston.
Terry said, "I was worried that she could get hurt with another bomb or the situation wasn't under control."
Kate told us on the phone, at the time of the explosion, she had finished the race and was about two blocks away when she felt the tremor.
"It's so scary to think we were that close. We felt the ground shake and heard the explosions and honestly at first I thought it was cannons or something going off for Patriots day," Kate recalled.
Meanwhile at Philadelphia Runner in Center City, Ross Martinson and Ryan Callahan spent the afternoon checking in with their 20 friends and fellow runners, in disbelief. Fortunately, everyone they knew were physically ok but understandably shaken.
Martinson said, "One person finished pretty close and said he did see the explosion."
Callahan added, "We were actually supposed to be going up there, we pulled out the day before. There's the Oh my God this is terrible and then there's the little bit of the we were supposed to be up there."
Kate said, "So sad and tragic to think, such a happy day and it was tarnished by this."
Terry added, "Very selfish act and people getting hurt as a result of this, supposed to be a great day but ended in a real tragedy."
