Community Corner

Park Ridge Runner Was Near Finish Line When Boston Marathon Blasts Hit

Kristina Decleene is safe, her father said from Park Ridge. Runner Kevin Burkum of Park Ridge finished about an hour before the bombs detonated.

Park Ridge runner Kristina Decleene was closing in on the Boston Marathon finish line when the blasts went off shortly before 3 p.m. Eastern time.

Her father, Richard Decleene, also of Park Ridge, said Kristina, 38, was about a half-mile away from the finish line when the two blasts, which killed at least two people and injured more than 100, went off. 

"It was very scary, but she's fine," he said. "My wife, my son and her fiance were there, too."

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Boston Marathon records indicate Kristina reached the 40 K marker point at about 2:53 p.m. Eastern time, with just over two kilometers to go. She was running at about a 5.74 miles per hour speed. The blasts occurred just before 3 p.m. Eastern time.

Runner Kevin Burkum, 46, crossed the Boston Marathon finish line at about 1:52 p.m., well before the bombs went off. 

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Boston Marathon records also indicate a registration for a Park Ridge runner named Karen May, but do not show that she crossed any marker points in the race. It is unclear whether she ran. 

Patch will update if more information becomes available. 


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