Ten individuals from the ISU running club and two alumni participated in the Boston Marathon, one of America’s most popular races, on April 15, 2013.

“The marathon is to Boston as Veishea is to Ames,” said David Sevcik, senior in management.

At approximately 1:50 p.m., two bombs went off near the finish line of the race. This happened about two hours after the winners of the marathon had completed the 26.2 miles.

None of the ISU participants were harmed during the tragedy. All of them made it back to their hotel at the 25-mile marker across from Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox. The hotel was about one mile away from where the bombs went off.

Mason Frank, a senior in mathematics, was four to five blocks away on the subway when he heard something that he later found out to be the explosions.

“It sounded like a firework,” Frank said. “I just thought it had to do with the Red Sox, because their game was just getting over with.”

Ryan Schafbuch, a junior in veterinary medicine, said he heard the bombs very clearly. He was in a cab when the bombs went off and didn’t really think anything of it until the cab driver became concerned.

Schafbuch was able to see the clouds of smoke after the bombs went off.

“It was definitely concerning,” Schafbuch said. “My initial reaction was to get back to the hotel to make sure all of my teammates were okay.”

Danny Ducharme, a senior in chemical engineering, was on Boylston Street, where the two bombings occurred, in a taxi when the bombs went off.

“I heard the ‘boom-booms’ and knew it was an explosion,” Ducharme said. “I was shocked. It sounded like a cannon, and I didn’t know what to think.”

After a turn of events, all the ISU running club members made it back to the hotel safely. The hotels encouraged everyone to stay in their rooms and to not leave in big groups.

“It was stressful letting everyone know I was OK over the phone or by email,” said Evan Day, senior in kinesiology and health.

Day was the second ISU runner to finish, after Sevcik, who came in first for the club.

Everyone remembered how surreal the moment was.

“[The bombing] was like a bigger reality,” said Melanie Holman, junior in kinesiology and health. “This could happen to anyone and I was a lucky one.”

Daniel Sevcik, a senior in kinesiology and health who started the running club, said that last year he would’ve been running at the same time the bomb went off.

“I was in shock,” Daniel said. “Just thrilled that we were out there.”

Frank also shared a story of his aunt coming up from Florida to watch him in the marathon.

“She had to make a conference call for work at 2 p.m. and the bomb went off around 1:50. She went back to the hotel before it went off,” Frank said. “There are just so many things that could’ve been. It’s just chilling and surreal.”

Despite the tragedy of the bombings, most ISU runners agree that Boston was a great experience with the crowds along both sides of the street cheering and celebrating. Most of them also would love to go back to participate in the Boston Marathon.

“It was phenomenal overall,” said Joey Sevcik, junior in kinesiology. “The atmosphere was electric and the city was alive and at its best.”

David explained that after these tragic events, the Boston Marathon will be something special in years to come. 

“After [the bombings], I want to go back. I don’t want to let some guy who’s delusional ruin something special,” David Sevcik said.

After this year of running and training, the club members have high hopes for next year.

“We are one of the best cross clubs in the nation. We’ve gotten third the past fall and second the year before in cross country nationals,” Day said. “We have some unfinished business and with only three of our top seven graduating, we have high expectations.”