UPDATED: "My phone has not stopped going off"

After completing the Boston Marathon in three hours, nine minutes and four seconds, Karen Auteri said her main concern was the blisters on her feet.

After taking a hot shower at her hotel approximately one mile from the marathon finish line, a friend pulled her toward the TV where news reports filled the screen.

Since that time, Auteri said her phone has not stopped buzzing with text messages, phone calls and Facebook messages from friends and family asking if she is OK.

"My phone has not stopped going off," she said.

Auteri, 31, of Bloomingdale, ran the marathon representing the Garden State Track Club, a New Brunswick-based running club that sent nine runners to the marathon. Both the men's and women's teams actually ended up finishing with the best cumulative times of all the groups that came from NJ, according to club president Chuck Schneekloth.

That accomplishment is dimmed in the aftermath of two bomb explosions at the marathon finish line that injured more than 100 people and killed three, including an eight-year-old boy.

"It breaks my heart," Auteri said, of the child.

PBS reports 562 runners from New Jersey among the 23,000 in the race.

Auteri said all the Garden State Track Club runners were accounted for and OK. She herself finished the marathon one hour before the bombs went off at the 4:09 mark of the race.

She had planned on attending the race after party, but it was cancelled following the explosions. She will return to New Jersey on Tuesday.

The event brought back memories of 9/11, Auteri said, and was a "little too close for comfort."

Monday's race was Auteri's 15th marathon. Her time of 3:09:04 was her best yet.

"I was so excited about my race," she said. "We should be celebrating and then this happened."