麻豆社区

Five Yukoners were part of the 35,755 runners who took to the streets yesterday for the 118th edition of the Boston Marathon.

Yukon MP鈥圧yan Leef was among the territory's contingent, returning to run the race after explosions near the finish line marred last year's event.

Two pressure-cooker bombs killed three and wounded more than 260 during the 2013 race.

But Boston rebounded to display its resilience and strength yesterday.

"People were out in full force and it was a true community celebration,鈥� said Leef, 40. "They were estimating about a million people lined the streets 鈥� just huge, huge numbers. So it was really clear. Nobody was staying away from Boston.鈥�

The race included 9,000 more runners than usual.

Stephan Atmanspacher, 46, ran the quickest time among Yukoners, completing the 42-km course through Beantown in 3:09.31.

David Eikelboom, 27, was next, finishing in 3:10:55.

Leef ran the course in 3:21:24, followed by 52-year-old Keith Thaxter (3:34:55) and 55-year-old Heather Alton (4:19:05).

California's Meb Keflezighi was the first runner to cross the finish line in a time of 2:08:37.

Leef told the Star he had circled this date on his calendar after last year's tragic events unfolded on the streets of鈥圔oston.

"Last year, it was kind of a bucket list marathon for me ... but after the tragedy last year, I knew I had to come back,鈥� he said. "I鈥坣ever wanted the assumption to be that I didn't return because of violence.鈥�

Yesterday's race marked Leef's 18th official marathon.

"It's been a long year of healing and recovery for people, and the sense was everybody was ready for this race.

Everybody wanted to go.

"It was really kind of defiant,鈥� he added. "People were crowding the finish line chutes where the bombs went off just to defiantly say 鈥楴othing's going to scare us away. We own this finish line. Violence doesn't.' I think Boston was really saying 鈥楾his is go time.' It was great to be a part of.鈥�

Local businesses proudly displayed 鈥楤oston Strong' banners, while many spectators wore T-shirts shouting the same message.

Prior to the race, a sombre moment occurred in the town of Hopkinton, where the collection of runners shared a moment of silence.

"It's something to see 36,000 people in one small field getting ready to run a marathon 鈥� all crammed in. But then to hear that crowd fall silent is just unbelievable,鈥� said the Yukon MP.

Following the silence, the runners responded with a roar that sent chills down Leef's spine.

"Running is such an individual sport and big marathons like this give runners an opportunity to come together and feel like you're part of something bigger than yourself,鈥� he said.

"To feel the connection of runners with the community 鈥� it's empowering. It's really inspiring.

"It does really send chills down your spine to know that that kind of event can generate that kind of passion and inspiration in people.鈥�

Leef, who recorded a video while racing the homestretch and later posted it on his Facebook page, said the race was his slowest marathon on record.

"I wasn't going back to Boston to run hard or run well, I was just going back to run and be part of it,鈥� he said.

Eikelboom, meanwhile, was hoping to run a much quicker time, but was hampered by a slight cold.

"For the first 20 miles, I was running a decent pace, but I could tell my breathing wasn't as easy as I wanted, and my legs weren't feeling as light as I had hoped,鈥� he told the Star.

Late in the race, difficulty breathing relegated him to walk a portion of the race.

"I was able to start running again, but when I did, it was really hard to get moving,鈥濃�圗ikelboom admitted.

"Another runner actually came by and gave me a lot of

encouragement though, and I was able to get it back together for the last one and a half miles.鈥�

Eikelboom, who was running the historic marathon for the first time, said the experience was incredible.

The race's opening ceremony was highlighted by a flyover from military helicopters.

"At the start, the energy was pretty electric,鈥� said Eikelboom. "The finish was crazy too. People were 15 to 20 deep ... the volume of the fans was so loud.鈥�