WMUR runners finish Boston Marathon, raise thousands for charity
Tens of thousands of dollars raised for Families in Transition
Tens of thousands of dollars raised for Families in Transition
Tens of thousands of dollars raised for Families in Transition
WMUR's Sean McDonald and Marissa Tansino finished the Boston Marathon on Monday, each completing the course in just over five hours.
McDonald finished in a time of 5:01:11, and Tansino finished in 5:00:51.
McDonald said the race was emotionally and physically exhausting, but he was proud of what he accomplished.
"I'm so glad not to be running right now," he said after finishing. "But the turn onto Boylston Street – everyone said it's iconic. They said it's something you'll never forget. I've got to tell you, I kind of teared up a little bit coming around there. That might have just been my tired legs, but it was also the crowds that kept me going."
Tansino said she was also boosted by the crowds in the final stretch of the marathon.
"The crowd was incredible," she said. "Once you hit Cleveland Circle, you forget about all the pain, you forget about – because halfway through there, I don't know what's going on, but it hurts. But once you hit Cleveland Circle, it's crowds, cheering, people who don't know you are cheering your name. And it was incredible. It was an incredible feeling."
McDonald said the warm weather made the marathon more difficult, and there were times when he doubted whether he would be able to finish.
"I had a few mental breakdowns out there, no doubt about it," he said. "I was tired, started walking a bit, but people come up, they high-five you, they keep you going, and you get past it."
McDonald was running to benefit Families in Transition, a nonprofit organization that helps people who are homeless. WMUR general manager Andrew Vrees and Families in Transition CEO Maria Devlin were also running to raise money for the organization.
By Friday afternoon, more than $74,000 had been raised for the campaign, which had a goal of $50,000.
"It means everything to me to be able to help them," McDonald said. "People have raised so much money, so I was so glad to be the man to help raise that money and finish this race to do it."
Vrees finished in a time of 3:51:37, and Devlin finished in 5:30:41.