Hundreds of runners in Connecticut are in Boston this morning, getting ready to run the 119th Boston Marathon.
Two years have passed since bombs went off at the finish line of the race and, for that reason, emotions are running high for Natalie Carpenter, a running coach from Hartford.
"To hear what happened, I wanted the chance last year to run, such an important race, to show the world that we're not afraid," Carpenter said.
Last year was her first Boston Marathon and this year, she coached a group of 25 runners through Fleet Feet in West Hartford, helping them prepare for the 26.2 mile run.
"We have been running through the winter. Ice, snow, angry drivers. Anything nature has thrown at us we've been running through," Carpenter said.
This year there are nearly 500 of the marathon runners from Connecticut.
Brent Robertson, of West Hartford, is running his first Boston Marathon.
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"I just started training in January. This is my first ever marathon, I just started running a year ago," Robertson said.
He said he's ready.
"I was fine as soon as I picked up my bib, as soon as i picked that up I started to get the jitters," he said.
Carpenter said the 26.2 mile race is not easy, but that it pushes runners like him to remember the marathon bombings and use the tragedy as motivation to finish Monday's race Boston Strong.
"My best advice is to take it one step at a time, and just remember that Boston is behind you every step of the way," Carpenter said.
Start times:
- Mobility Impaired - 8:50 a.m.
- Push Rim Wheelchair - 9:17 a.m.
- Handcycles - 9:22 a.m.
- Elite Women 9:32 a.m.
- Elite Men and Wave One - 10 a.m.
- Wave Two - 10:25 a.m.
- Wave Three - 10:50 a.m.
- Wave Four - 11:15 a.m.
Are you there? Send your photos to shareit@nbcconnecticut.com.
