SALT LAKE CITY - Utahns haven't stopped running for Boston. They showed their support Saturday morning during the 10th annual Salt Lake City Marathon and again on Monday at a tribute race.
Monday's "Running for Boston" 5K was created to raise money for the victims of the Boston marathon bombing. The starting and finish line were at The Salt Lake Running Company, who helped organize the run with the help of local business Altra Footwear.
By the end, more than 1,000 people took part in the tribute race. One of the runners was Brian Beckstead, who was at the Boston marathon and crossed the finish line just twenty minutes before the first bomb went off.
"I was just around the corner from the finish and a big, you just felt it all the buildings shook, my body shook everything just went silent and I told my wife a bomb just went off in Boston," says Beckstead.
He strapped on his running shoes and hit the pavement again just one week after the twin bombings in Boston that killed three people and injured more than 150.
"My faith in humanity increased because of all the positive feelings that came out," says Beckstead.
Beckstead's company Altra Footwear teamed up with The Salt Lake Running Company for Monday's tribute race. They started organizing the 5K on Thursday.
"We're like that's really short notice we'll see what we can do and we were expecting to have about 100 people show up," says Elizabeth Jenkins, who is a marketer for The Salt Lake Running Company.
That number quickly grew to more than 1,000 people.
Fox 13 talked to some of Utah runners registered for the run.
"The best way to battle any negative is with a positive," said Kim Babka.
"Once we heard about everything that happened there we just wanted to support as much as we could," said Shay Shelton.
Organizers say the message is to just keep people running.
The t-shirts were sold for $20. All the money raised goes to THE ONE FUND BOSTON. You can make donations at www.onefundboston.org. If you'd like to purchase the "Running for Boston" t-shirt they are available at www.altrazerodrop.com.
