JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
One year after the Boston Marathon bombings, an Air Force couple competed April 21 in the 118th edition of the race, joining nearly 36,000 other participants who ran despite last year's tragedy.
"We knew that with all eyes on Boston this year, we'd be hard pressed to find a safer place in the world," 2nd Lt. Meredith Hein, 24th Air Force deputy public affairs officer, said. "More than that, though, I would never have forgiven myself if I let what happened last year alter my course."
Meredith and her husband, 2nd Lt. David Hein, an Air Education and Training Command acquisitions program manager, ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time. They qualified for the event after competing in the 2013 Austin Marathon, and they were determined to run in Boston.
"We felt privileged and honored to run after what happened last year," David said. "At the race, we never heard anyone express any concerns about safety."
Meredith said the massive turnout at this year's marathon was "a sign of solidarity" on the part of the entrants and a million spectators.
"Last year, we decided that we could not opt out, because to do so would be to let the cowards who tried to ruin this race win," she said.
David, who is assigned to the AETC Directorate of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments Technology Integration Division at JBSA-Randolph, and Meredith, who is assigned to the 24th Air Force at JBSA-Lackland, have also demonstrated solidarity as runners.
They were students at the Air Force Academy when they discovered a common interest.
"We ran for fun in college," David said. "That was the way we connected."
Meredith said running was also a way for her to enjoy Colorado and relieve stress.
The Heins began to train for their first marathon, which was in Oklahoma City, while they were at their first duty stations - David at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and Meredith at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas - though Meredith said the brunt of her training took place at Fort Meade, Md., where she attended technical school.
"It was a way for us to share goals and experiences together even when we were apart," she said.
David, who "fell in love with running" when he joined the cross-country team at his high school in Adel, Iowa, said he and his wife prepared for the Boston Marathon by following a training schedule he borrowed from a high school friend who's run in five marathons.
He said he found the Boston course a tough one.
"It had some challenging hills," David said. "Heartbreak Hill, which is at the 20-mile mark, lived up to its name. I started the race too fast and, when I hit the hills, I nearly hit the wall. I slowed down for miles 21 to 24, then got a second wind for the last few miles."
Meredith said mental preparation is important to her, but the motivation she got for the marathon came from the crowds.
"It was amazing," she said. "I couldn't go a tenth of a mile without resounding cheers from those present. Their motivation is really what kept my legs churning the whole way, and I can't thank them enough for being there."
Meredith also had fun with competitors and spectators, giving high-fives to "to all the kids who stuck their hands out" and encouraging other runners.
David, who finished with a time of 3:04:40, and Meredith, who completed the course in 3:35:11, are looking forward to competing in next year's event.
He called his first Boston Marathon "an overwhelming experience."
"The city of Boston came together and put together a great event," David said. "The people of Boston showed support and unity. I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity."
Meredith said the experience was everything she hoped it would be.
"The crowd was amazing and so supportive," she said. "They kept thanking the runners for being there and representing, but we really should be thanking them for fostering such an amazing environment and staying 'Boston strong' in spite of all that has happened."