Undated (KELO-AM) Nearly 40 South Dakotans ran in the Boston Marathon, including banker John Jackson and school teacher Luke Vander Leest from Sioux Falls.
Jackson says he couldn't help thinking of last year's tragedy as he ran past the crowds and saw families with young kids and knowing this is a family event and what happened last year. He says at the start of the race at the National Anthem people were crying. He says it was very emotional.
Vander Leest says the crowd support and the organization were fantastic and that Boston was determined to come back strong from last year's attack. He says as he approached the finish line, there was his wife cheering him on right across the street from where the bomb exploded.
Jackson and Vander Leest started the race together, but soon lost track of each other in the ocean of runners.