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Colorado Woman At Boston Marathon Bombing Plans To Run It Again

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) – Tuesday marks one year since two bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon and a Colorado woman who was there plans to run it again.

Three people were killed and more than 260 were hurt in the explosions. Police traced the bombs to two brothers. One was killed by police while the other is in jail awaiting trial.

Amy O'Brien is an avid marathon runner who lives in Englewood and she had always wanted to run the Boston Marathon. Last year she finally achieved her goal until half a mile away from the finish line the bombs went off.

For 25 miles Amy was doing great, realizing her dream of finishing the Boston Marathon.

"Training in Denver and then going to sea level to run was just a dream come true," O'Brien said.

But then something happened that runners everywhere dread.

"At mile 25, I totally cramped up like I never have before in my life," she said.

O'Brien had to stop and take a break, losing the runner she'd been keeping pace with and losing time, but it was a moment she now calls divine intervention.

"Mile 25 is truly what saved my life," O'Brien said.

It was minutes after she'd started to run again that the bombs went off just one turn from the finish line.

O'Brien stayed with her family and took shelter before walking back to their hotel.

"No one really knew what was going on," she said.

They were thankful they were safe but full of despair for those not so lucky.

"So sad that someone would do that," O'Brien said.

She'd soon find out that the man she'd been keeping pace with was struck down and hurt from the blast at the finish line.

"He was in front of me, he had actually passed me," she said.

As she prepares to return to Boston and cross the finish line she says last year's run was about time, this year she will run for those who can't and to show those responsible they didn't win.

"To me it's just more showing the terrorists, 'You know what? You can't stop us. I mean we are Boston strong," she said.

O'Brien flies to Boston this weekend and the Boston Marathon will have about 36,000 participants, making it the second largest in its history.

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