The Shoes We Wore #BostonShoes

Boston Magazine May Cover

Stories from the Boston Marathon

The shoes that form our May cover story are a few of the many, many more worn by people on April 15, 2013. Whether you ran, attended, became a first responder, or watched from around the world, we invite you to submit a photo of your shoes and tell us your story from the 117th Boston Marathon.

  • Christie Hamilton, 47 Oakville, ON - Canada

    I ran because I wanted to enjoy the best spectators in the world. They did not let me down! I am so angry that these spectacular people are the ones who were hurt by the bombs.

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  • Janice Corkhum, 42 Lynnfield, Mass.

    The moment I saw on TV what the hell had happened. In that moment, I realized just how grateful I was to be where I was and that there are really great people on this earth, and they just all happened to be at the same place at 2:50 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2013.

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  • Sandra Gittlen, 42 Northborough, Mass.

    Instead of framing my medal, I am framing the poster that my school-age neighbor and her pals made for me. That moment where they cheered me on at Mile 2 is how I hope to remember that day.

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  • Meredith Kent, 38 Northborough, Mass.

    What strikes me about the entire day is the extreme range of emotions that I felt in one day…pure happiness and joy, pure sadness and grief, pure worry and fear.

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  • Caitlin Fitzgerald, 34 Melrose, Mass.

    Right after the explosions, someone locked the large glass doors of the Tannery. We took cover in the basement away from the glass walls of the first floor, feeling that there may be more blasts. I can’t say I remember anything about the basement other than the faces of the people who were there.

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  • Corey Farina, 37 Weymouth, Mass.

    2013 was my first Boston Marathon experience. As a Lieutenant with the Hingham Police Department, I became part of one of the first EMS units on scene.

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  • Maria Evora-Rosa, 40 East Bridgewater, Mass.

    I didn’t sleep the whole week and cried a lot. Life is slowly getting back to normal, and the images of what I saw that day are fading.

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  • Melissa Southwell, 35 Maynard, Mass.

    It took two weeks, five runs, and four hours and 27 minutes, but I ran 26.2 miles. This may be my only Boylston Street finish, but it is a victory. And I did it in these shoes. Boston Strong.

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  • Zara Bielkus, 31 Boston

    Perhaps part of our consciousness remains there, in that moment, for good or for bad, and therefore every time we recall it we can almost live it.

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  • First Lieutenant Stephen Fiola, 32 Fitchburg, Mass.

    People are saying was it like a war zone. We’ve been saying it’s worse.

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