Watch above: Saskatoon runners mark the Boston Marathon bombing anniversary
SASKATOON – One year ago today, the city of Boston, Mass. and the world’s running community changed forever.
Three people were killed and 264 others wounded as two pressure cooker bombs went off near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon.
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It’s a day that still gives Brian Michasiw goosebumps.
“When I heard about it last year, I took it really personally because there’s lots of people from Canada, lots of people from Saskatoon there, I could have been there, my family could have been injured,” said Michasiw, a marathon runner from Saskatoon.
Michasiw has been in about 15 marathons around the world including Chicago and Lisbon.
He has never run in Boston, but that is expected to change next Monday.
“I just felt it was time for me as a runner to do it but also because of the bombings from last year I wanted to show my support,” said Michasiw.
Around 36,000 runners from around the world will participate in the marathon on April 21. Approximately 2,500 are from Canada.
Runner Louis Baillargeon will also represent Saskatoon.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into running a marathon, as everyone who runs one knows, and to go there and worry…there’s no sense thinking about safety, go out there and do your best and enjoy it because really it is one of the best marathons in the world,” said Baillargeon.
This will be Baillargeon’s second Boston Marathon. Last year, when the bombing happened, he was training in London.
“Marathon’s raise a tremendous amount of money globally for needy people and global causes, for targeting a marathon it’s really very unfortunate,” said Baillargeon.
One year ago, the City of Boston became stronger, as did the world’s running community.
“You have to get yourself into a different zone before a marathon, that normal experience combined with the emotion that’s going to be in Boston is going to be a pretty special experience,” said Michasiw.
A moment of silence was held Tuesday at 2:49 EST near the Boston Marathon finish line.
PHOTOS: Boston commemorates one-year anniversary of marathon bombings
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