In spite of the chaos struck by the bombs that exploded near the finish line at the annual Boston marathon on April 15, the victors shone through the catastrophe: the runners.

Among the group was Karey Elliott, resident of North East and mother to sophomore graphic design major Kelsey Elliott.

Karey, who had participated in various marathons prior to her first Boston marathon in 2012, finished the 26.2-mile race with a time of 3:25:02, surpassing her time from last year.Contributed photo: Kelsey and Karey Elliott reunited just minutes before the first explosion went off near the finish line.

“I wanted to redeem myself,” said Karey, “I had a bad race last year, at least in my perspective, and I wanted to do it well this time.”

She finished the race about an hour before the first explosion went off, only meeting Kelsey, accompanied by her roommate Jennifer Ecklund, minutes before the bomb exploded.

“The city was so loud and happy and it suddenly became quiet. When the second bomb went off, it still hadn’t clicked,” said Karey Elliott. “I couldn’t think of any other possible explanation for what it could be when the second one, which was closer to us, went off.”

Kelsey, Karey and Jennifer were less than two blocks away from where the first explosion occurred near the finish line.

The last mile of the race was dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Conn.

As with everyone else, the group’s first response was to run away, the fear that a third explosion would happen at any time on everyone’s minds, the uncertainty of its location even more nerve-wracking.

“It all smelled horrible, it was loud; people were screaming and you could barely hear it over the sirens,” Karey said.

Terror took over the celebration in a matter of seconds, with some people rendered unable to finish the race due to the panic that was unraveling throughout the city.

Even so, Elliott did not let the tragedy obscure her experience or anyone else’s.

“It is so inspiring to see people with smiles across their faces as they finish. It is supposed to be a celebration, and it made me so mad that someone ruined it,” said Kelsey Elliott.

“It didn’t stop people from coming together. People were coming up to my mom and congratulating her and everyone else, because it really is an achievement.”

Karey affirmed her determination to do it again, regardless of the events. “In the face of destruction, people are bound to rebuild. You stole Boston’s joy for one day, but you won’t steal it forever,” she said.