The horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon on Apr. 15 stopped many runners from completing the marathon, including San Diegan Richard Currier. But on Saturday, Currier finally finished his run.
Currier’s friends from a local running group called “In Motion Fit” decided to surprise him by finishing his final mile with him at Lake Murray in La Mesa.
The group hit the pavement in the morning for a run dubbed “Richard’s Final Mile” in support of their friend, who was unable to finish the Boston Marathon on Monday due to the terror attacks.
“We wanted him to feel the love and we wanted him to know that we are so proud of him,” said runner Katie Johnson.
Monday was the fourth time Currier had participated in the Boston Marathon. He missed finishing the marathon this time by just one mile.
“I’m very, very lucky to be here today,” he told NBC 7 on Saturday.
Currier says he ran the Boston Marathon slower than usual this year on purpose because he has another marathon coming up in Boston soon.
The decision to take it slow may have perhaps saved his life.
His running partners are thankful he’s okay and expressed their relief to him at Lake Murray.
“I’m really glad you didn’t have your best race because if you had your best race, you would have been there at the time the bombs went off,” runner Len Ackerman said to Currier.
With a sigh of relief and without Currier knowing it, his running group friends set up their very own version of the marathon's finish line.
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“It was a real shock. I mean this is a great group,” said Currier.
And, when he finally crossed the finish line, everyone involved was overcome with happiness.
"[We felt] joy. I could see it in his face I knew that he appreciated us,” said Johnson.
Support like this is what their running group is all about.
Since Monday’s attacks, Currier says he’s been contemplating whether he’ll ever run the Boston Marathon again. But, based on Saturday’s run at Lake Murray, he says he just might.
