April 21, 2014 - Beauty from ashes. That is what I witnessed in Boston

DeDe Gibbs

Wow.

That's the first thought that comes to my mind when I reflect on the past weekend. Just. Wow.

I ran the Boston Marathon yesterday. My seventh marathon - my second Boston. And yet it felt like a new experience - like nothing else I've ever done. I can still hear the cheers. See the faces. Passionate. Determined. United. Urging us on toward the goal.

Overwhelming. Compelling. Powerful cheers.

Wow.

April 21, 2014 - WE ARE BOSTON STRONG and the whole world knows it!

Kelly LeCours

I am 49 years old, married to a marathoner and have two beautiful girls. 2014 was my 13th Boston Marathon.

Last year in Boston I had a great race finishing in my fastest Boston time - 3:17:10. When I finished, I grabbed my clothes and went to Exhale Spa for a wonderful shower. This has become a Boston ritual for me. Feeling great after the shower, I headed with my friend over to MJ's for a beer. That's when we realized something TERRIBLE had happened.

My friend Carmela and I were desperate to find friends and family to make sure they were OK. I had told my brother, who also ran, I would be at the Lenox Hotel if he wanted to meet up. With interrupted phone service, it was difficult to locate people. First we confirmed our friends were safe in their hotel room. They informed me the Lenox had been evacuated.

I continued on to the Lenox to find my brother. It was scary walking through the streets seeing FBI, armored vehicles, dazed and panicked people. As I got closer to the Lenox I heard another explosion. Police were yelling to us to turn around and get out of the area. I’m not sure of the details, but I was told the police safely detonated another bomb. I ran back to the hotel where my friends were and begged the doorman to let me back in. They were locking down all hotels. They called the room and confirmed it was OK. I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't let me in. The phones were not working. Once I was in the room, a friend’s family offered me a ride out of the city. I was so grateful.

2011 - God took my two marathon verses, put them into one, and marked them with my Boston Marathon time!

DeDe Gibbs

In September 2010, I ran the Fox Cities Marathon, placing 3^rd Masters and 18th female. It was my third marathon, but the first I would run after having six children.

I ran it in memory of my mother who had passed away a year before. My qualifying time was 3:33:23. My mother’s birthdate was 3-23-33! So ironic. I hoped to improve at Boston 2011 by ten minutes and get the numbers in the correct order!

The following spring, at the age of 46, I did even better than that, finishing in 3:19.

My 2011 Boston Placement Stats:
Division: 36/1591 Top 2%
Gender: 593/10073 Top 6%
Overall: 4936/23879 Top 21%

Boston Qualified! 2014 -Running is my metaphor for sobriety: I can't stay sober alone; I would never have made it to Boston on my own...

Eva Esquivel

I began running in May 2009. I was a little more than two years sober and was starting to understand my life had to be more than just not drinking. I no longer was okay with being angry, impatient, and sad. I kept telling myself at least I was sober, but I also wanted a better life.  I knew I had to take action for things to improve. I didn't know what to do next, but like everything positive in my life, I attribute my discovery of running to being fully "aware"-- opening my eyes to what was happening now and right in front of me.

A running store had opened a few blocks from me. I had entered a few 5k's in my life at others urging, but never had I considered myself a runner or had I trained for anything. The running store had a social running group. I remember not being able to run but one mile, and then having to stop and bend over from a "stitch" in my side. The owner took me aside and taught me how to breathe and pace. I learned about running clothes, socks and gear. I didn't give up.  In early sobriety I was constantly afraid of relapsing and having to start over. My fear of failure became a character asset in running.