Spending the day in Boston for the Boston Marathon was one I won't forget... and not just because I spent the day with Teddy McKay. We got dropped off right at Copley Square, and were able to walk as close as we could get to the finish line. Being there, even with no runners and very few spectators, was unbelievable. For the early part of the morning, Teddy and I walked down Boylston Street, over to Newbury, and through the public garden toward the Common. We met up with all the local news stations (WCSH, WMTW, and WGME) and got a close look at all the prayer banners that had been made since the bombings last year.

It was about 11am when we made our way back to Boylston Street to get our spot to watch the finishers come through. We were lucky to get a spot about 150-200 feet away from the finish line. Before the elite runners made it through, I walked up to the finish line, on the same side of the road where the bombs went off last year. Being at the spot where the tragedy happened - I was speechless. Even with the noise of the crowd and announcers it was almost calm at that spot at the end of the route. I felt safe as well. I couldn't walk two feet without seeing a cop or security officer. And helicopters were flying overhead too.

When the runners started coming across the finish line, you could hear the roar of the crowd move down the route. Seeing the elite runners, especially Rita Jeptoo and Meb Keflezighi, cross the finish line and receive their medals was amazing. I'm not a runner at all... and I couldn't even fathom how they were still standing and giving interviews after running 26.2 miles. As more men and women passed in front of us, you could see the emotions on their face that they were so happy to cross the finish line successfully. There was a lady standing next to us holding a sign, in blue and yellow, that said simply "Thank You." As runners passed her, they kept telling her, "no, thank you!" The spirit of community, and of Boston taking back this race was so present. Boston is strong, and that theme was everywhere yesterday, from shirts to banners, to runners with that written on their arms.

Click the link below to see all the tweets that Teddy and I posted yesterday during our live broadcast: 
Here are all the photos: 

 

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