An Amherstburg runner, who just completed the Boston Marathon, feels very lucky to have missed the explosions that killed at least three people and injured many others.
Dozens of people from Windsor and Essex County were in Boston for the race. Twin blasts rocked the event Monday afternoon.
Amherstburg runner Ashley Kellam completed the marathon about an hour before the chaos erupted. She says she left the area 20 minutes earlier and was back at her hotel before she heard anything.
"We had walked by the area so many times and ran past it not long ago,” says Kellam. “It was really difficult to watch, knowing we were just there. We’re feeling very lucky that we made it out before anything happened and we’re safe.”
She said everyone was obviously shaken up and scared.
"I was excited at first to have finished, and now it just doesn't seem to matter," she says.
The incident happened approximately three hours after the first marathon runners were said to have crossed the finish line, however thousands of participants were still running.
There was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, near the photo bridge that marks the finish line.
“I can't imagine what it would have been like finishing at the time,” says Kellam. “It's a well organised event. It went so smoothly.”
If you're a Canadian involved in the Boston Marathon explosion and need assistance, contact @TravelGoC 1-800-387-3124 or sos@international.gc.ca.
If you are concerned for a friend that ran the Boston Marathon today, you can see their last check-in here: http://raceday.baa.org/individual.html
With files from CTVNews.ca
