For Lakewood Ranch resident Ed Kelly, Monday was the day he had been waiting for, race day.
“Boston Strong, this is what it’s all about. Boston Strong,” said Kelly via Skype from Boston.
Kelly traveled from Florida to his hometown of Boston to run in the Boston Marathon. Kelly along with 100 other people from team MR8 ran in memory of 8-year-old Martin Richard killed in last year's bombing.
“That’s going to be my inner motivation, who I am running for, the memory of Martin Richard,” he said.
Kelly said everyone was in a positive mood.
“There is just excitement everyone is just anticipating the enormous crowds that we know will be out there,” he said.
Kelly said everyone felt safe. There were police on the ground, snipers on buildings and the National Guard on standby. Kelly said he's never seen this kind of security at the race.
“Security is tight. Before we boarded the busses to come here to the athletes’ village, they were screening us with the wands just as they would at an airport. So that was new,” he said.
This year's crowd was also something new. A million people were expected at the race- that's more than ever before.
“Fear is not going to prevail and people are going to carry on with their life, their lives their traditions and the Boston Marathon is not going to be dented in any way,” Kelly said.
Along with the saying Boston Strong, there was a new motto this year among the runners.
“Own the finish line. We own the finish line.”
Kelly is still trying to raise money for Team MR8. He would like to raise $10,000. This money will go towards helping the families affected by the bombings, education for the Boston area and local after school programs.
If you would like to donate you can go to firstgiving.com/fundraiser/EdKelly.