by Sabrina Redlingshafer
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Greg Schultz had crossed this finish line four times before. His running shoes were broken in, he had the course memorized, and he had trained his whole life for this race. He knew this was going to be his last Boston Marathon. He had done this before. Four times before.
“My emotions before the marathon were fairly casual,” Schultz said. “I knew exactly what to expect.”
He knew exactly what to expect.
But did he?
Taking on the Marathon
Junior Miranda Schultz, daughter of Greg, left April 14, the day before Marathon Monday, for Boston, Mass. with her mom and sister to support their father running in the marathon.
“We were going because my dad was running the marathon and we wanted to support him,” Miranda said.
According to Extreme Marathon Guide, the Boston Marathon, held the same day as the Massachusetts state holiday – Patriot’s Day, is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and ranked one of the world’s best-known racing events.
The event draws an average of 500,000 spectators and 20,000 participants each year, with 26,839 people entered in 2013.
The 26 mile race trails through eight Massachusetts cities, ultimately weaving its way into the center of downtown Boston’s streets and finishing at Copley Square, a city landmark for dining and sightseeing.
Greg Schultz had qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of 3 hours and 33 minutes at the Gobbler Grind Marathon this past November.
He was ready to take on the course one last time.
Race Day
The morning of race day was “fairly quiet”, Greg explained.
“I woke up at around 5[a.m.] in order to arrive at the starting line at 8[a.m.].”
At 8 a.m. sharp, the start pistol’s shot signaled the beginning of Greg’s Schultz’ last Boston Marathon. Schultz took off alongside 26,838 other racers. All of them with an image of the finish line beaming in their minds.
Three hours and forty-one minutes later, he had arrived at Copley Square, crossed the finish line and had completed the race.
“I was excited to have finished my fifth Boston Marathon,” Greg explained. “The feeling of finishing is just something words may never be able to describe.”
After concluding the race, runners are directed to a medical tent for water and health services, which takes about ten minutes.
“Finishing the race I was in pure pain,” Greg explained. “My legs were sore and my feet were killing me. However, I wanted to see my family more than anything, and I knew after seeing them, my pain level wouldn’t be as distracting.”
Families of runners are given the option to greet them at the finish line or a family meeting center nearby the medical tents.
The Schultz’ chose the latter.
“Thankfully we didn’t meet at the finish line or else would have been there roughly around the same time as the bomb explosions,” Miranda said.
Greg explained he walked to pick up a packet with all his gear and headed towards the family meeting area, where Miranda, her mom and sister congratulated him on the achievement.
After much praise and support, the four started walking from the scene of the marathon to find a taxi to take them to their hotel. They were about a block until their trek was stopped short.
BOOM.
“It sounded like thunder,” Miranda said. “The first bomb sounded like a speaker blew or the grandstand fell. But then there was another ten to twenty seconds later and we became more curious.”
Her father agreed.
“The people around us did not think much of it, and carried along,” Greg said. “Now after the second bomb went off, that was when people began to worry.”
Miranda explained she saw police running towards the scene, but didn’t stop to ask what was going on. The Schultz’s continued their journey back to their hotel.
“Nobody knew what was going on until we got back to hotel and realized a bomb had gone off,” Miranda said.
That’s when the shock hit.
Upon arriving at the Marriott hotel, runners, spectators and tourists surrounded TV news broadcasts trying uncover the story.
Miranda and her family were told to remain in their hotel room for safety. The four sat there mesmerized by news stations with headlines like “Marathon Terror”, “Boston Marathon Explosions”, “Smoke Seen Near Finish Line”, “2 Explosions at Copley Square”, “People Hurt in Large Explosions”, “Explosion Near Boston Marathon Finish Line”, “At least 6 hurt in ‘large blasts’”.
The Schultz’ eyes remained glued to the TV, watching news happening just miles outside their hotel room window.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” Miranda said. “I had so many questions and when it was happening I didn’t really know, but afterwards I realize that was freaky and I was so thankful to be with my family.”
Going Home
The Schultz left for Kansas City the next day.
“It was creepy because heading to the airport, there were police everywhere holding huge guns as we were driving by,” Miranda said. “There was higher security, and two sets of security checks.”
After a day of mixed emotions and lingering questions, the Schultz were glad to be coming home together.
“I feel thankful, to have my family and I both safe,” Greg said. “It’s amazing to think that my family may have been right in the middle of the bombing if they had decided to come see me finish rather than wait at the family meeting area.”
In the end
Later, news reports found that two pressure cooker bombs exploded at 2:49 p.m. eastern time near the finish line on Boylston Street, killing three people and injuring 264. The race was stopped, preventing many from finishing.
Not all of the 26,838 runners alongside Greg Schultz finished the marathon safely. And not all 500,000+ spectators alongside Miranda, her mom and sister made it home safely.
“Again, [I’m] very glad my family is all safe,” Greg said. “I just remember all of the people calling and texting my family wondering if everyone was okay. I am so blessed and so relieved that they did indeed find the bomber. Not just for me, but for the victims. I don’t think I could ever imagine going through what these families have had to go through.”
He knew exactly what to expect.
But did he?
“I had no idea how much more memorable my last Boston Marathon would be,” Greg said.
