'We didn't let them win.' Ten years after bombings, Marathon crowd is enthusiastic as ever

FRAMINGHAM — "You can't knock us down."

That's what Julia Paccone, one of thousands of Boston Marathon spectators in downtown Framingham, said when she was asked what "Boston Strong" meant to her.

"If you try (to knock us down)," the Manchester-by-the-Sea resident continued, "we're pretty tough in every sense of it."

Ten years after the tragic Marathon bombings, the cheers and enthusiasm rang out from Hopkinton to Boston, as hundreds of thousands of spectators descended upon the famed route to urge on more than 30,000 competitors, showcasing a reflective and festive spirit.

And perhaps even a little edge.

Brandon Rainville, of Framingham, was on the sidelines cheering his wife, Helen Bresler, who was running her fifth Marathon.

"There's a freedom to it," Rainville said. "She never listens to music when she runs."

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Bresler ran the Marathon in 2013, was right behind the finish line when the bombing occurred, according to Rainville. Despite this, Rainville said the Marathon is a happy and community event.

"It's my favorite holiday... you get smiles from everyone in Boston," he said.

The 127th edition of the Boston Marathon took place Monday despite bouts of pouring rain. Spectators took time to reflect on the unity and spirit of Patriots' Day in Massachusetts, particularly 10 years after the horrific bombings that left three people dead and hundreds more injured.

Jen Fields, of Westborough, was cheering on a friend, Amy Rusiecki.

"Everyone comes out for it," said Fields, who has run the Marathon three times. "Everyone's still here, we didn't let them win."

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Cheering on his son, Bobby, Holliston's Bob Kiley said "Boston Strong" means a lot to him.

"It makes me very proud to be from here, the people here are strong," he said.

Christa Doiron, who was cheering on friends along with Julia Schneider, said the idea of Boston Strong makes them want to be at the Marathon, to support the "brave runners." Schneider and Doiron held signs that read "Thick Thighs Save Lives" and "Run Like your Ex is Watching."

A 'party atmosphere' in Framingham

Framingham resident Stacey Lee has been attending the race for 15 years with a homemade sign that reads, “May the Course Be With You.” Beneath the sign are several blue and yellow ribbons containing the names of runners that she and her friends and family are supporting. This year the names include that of an uncle and retired Bruins legend Zdeno Chara, who Lee said ran past the sign at about 11:30 a.m. and acknowledged it — en route to an impressive finish of 3 hours and 38 minutes.

Lee described the bombing incident in 2013 as a “where-were-you-when-you-heard-about-it" moment, but added that since the bombing, the Marathon seems even more popular and better supported, with more people attending each year. She said there appears to be a more festive atmosphere among spectators.

“To me personally, I always have people running in the Marathon and when you hear that there was a bombing in Boston after your people just crossed, you don’t forget it,” she said. “It just makes it more historic, things have definitely changed as far as security goes, but I think people really enjoy it.

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"A lot more people have gotten behind the Marathon, it is more of a party atmosphere.”

Scott Rumrill, a Cambridge native, ran the Marathon 13 times for the American Liver Foundation, and he had planned on 2013 to be his final effort. But due to the bombings, he was stopped at Mile 25, and so he forced himself to run again the following year to complete his plan.

Today, Rumrill supports runners from the side of the street, cutting through backroads to see runners in Framingham, Newton and Brookline throughout the day. And like Lee, he said the atmosphere around the Marathon since the bombing has become more festive.

“The resilience I saw of everybody after the bombing, I remember the year after that the city was so friendly and helpful towards each other," he said. "We realized there is a greater good between us. It’s the closest thing Massachusetts has to Mardi Gras; it’s a 26.2-mile long party in the street, filled with spectators.”

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Mike Harrington, a native of Brockton now living in New Hampshire, was cheering on his son Forrest, who was running for the Framingham-based Hoops and Homework charity.

“My son graduated from Northeastern three weeks after the bombing, we saw the aftermath and it’s been quite the change in Boston,” Harrington said. “We’ve been spending time in the city over the past few days and you can see the enthusiasm in the city for the Marathon and the unity. Everybody seems pretty positive.”

Connie Chan has been an official volunteer for 17 years, handing out Gatorade to runners at the Mile 7 checkpoint in downtown Framingham. Before volunteering, Chan ran the Marathon 15 times, making her a constant at every edition since 1992. She said that lately, Greater Boston has become extremely welcoming to runners visiting for the first time, and that community spirit has increased since the bombings.

“The Marathon has changed a lot over the years, it’s definitely more like a party," Chan said. "It’s a community pride thing, people are coming from all over the world, and we want to show them that we are a supportive community. It pulls everyone together with the goal of making a great experience for all of the runners.”

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Marathon spectators are Boston Strong 10 years after bombings