Runner finishes Boston Marathon in Idaho Falls

Seventeen days after the April 15 terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon, runner Kathy Hart finished what she started.

With all of Taylor’s Crossing Public Charter School watching, she ran the final third of a mile to complete the 26.2-mile race.

“To go that far, and to go that distance, and then to be short only a third of a mile, it means a lot to be able to finish this marathon,” said Hart.

The administrative assistant at Taylor’s Crossing in Idaho Falls had completed 29 races and two other Boston marathons prior to running in this year’s event. But she couldn’t reach No. 30 that day.

“There was a policeman saying that we could not go any further because there was a bomb at the finish line,” she said. “I got really nervous because my husband and sister were at the finish line, waiting for me.”

Steve Hart, her husband of 42 years, said he knew his wife hadn’t made the turn onto Boylston Street before the bombs went off.

But Steve was waiting for her at the finish line, right in the middle of the two explosions.

“The first bomb went off just about 25 yards to my left. Just right next to us, so then I was really concerned about Kathy and where she was, so i looked again to the right, the runners that were coming down the street, they were stopping then,” he said. “And I saw the second bomb go off about 50 yards to my right.”

“By the time we finally did catch up with him, it was three hours,” said Kathy. “So, for three hours, I did not know if my family was safe, hurt, in a safe place or where they were. I did not know, so I was quite worried.”

The Harts escaped without harm, and Thursday, Kathy reached her milestone 30th marathon.

“It was awesome. It was way awesome,” she said “I’ve worked with these kids for six years, and they are fantastic. They are the best fan club and best rooting club I have ever had.”

When she crossed the finish line, she told the terrorists in Boston that she had won her race in Idaho Falls.

“We can’t stop living,” she said. “We just have to keep moving on and go on. We can’t let them get what they want. And that’s what the terrorists want is to disrupt your life. We’re not going to let it happen. Not in this country. Not in our house.”

For Kathy Hart, the symbolic completion of the 2013 Boston Marathon at last brings a form of closure, not only to her, but she hopes, for the victims and their families as well.