Yorktown Marathoner: 'My Heart is Broken' for Boston

Yorktown Heights resident Mary Natell finished her fourth Boston Marathon on Monday and 19th overall, but it was like no other. 

She had crossed the marathon finish line about an hour before the blasts, that killed three and injured more than 180 people, exploded in Boston.

"My heart is broken for all those people who were there for a fun day," Natell told Patch. "I don't know how it could ever be the same again. It puts things in perspective."

After finishing her race at about 1:50 p.m., she went to the medical tent because she was feeling cold and spent about an hour there. Then she went to get her bag and meet with her husband, who had been waiting for her at the family meeting area about a block and a half away from the marathon finish line.

"Just before I met him, I heard the explosion," she said. "It was really loud."

Then seconds later the second explosion was heard. 

"People were obviously concerned but had no idea of the magnitude," Natell said.

She and her husband managed to get a cab and go back to their hotel where they watched the news coverage on TV and understood what had happened. 

"I'm still in shock," said Natell, who has been receiving text message and phone calls from people who want to make sure she was safe. "It's hitting me today."

Natell plans to run the New York City Marathon in November and said that if people stop running because of the tragic events that occurred on Monday, the people who did this win.

"I don't think something like this should stop me from running another marathon," the woman said.

Click here for a list of local runners who were registered for the marathon. If you participated, were a spectator or have heard from runners, post your comments in the thread below.

__

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our newsletter