Monday's Boston Marathon was supposed to be a celebratory occasion for Lisa Baragiola, as she reunited with friends 20 years after running the event for the first time. Instead, the hours following the race were filled with anxiety, as the Warrenton resident frantically tried to reach family members. Baragiola crossed the finish line seconds after the first of two improvised bombs exploded, claiming three lives. "I heard a boom and looked to my left and saw the storefront blow out and things hitting the barracades," she recalled. The moments that followed will resonate with Baragiola for the remainder of her life. Since around the 20-mile marker, she had been challenging herself to overcome muscle cramps. Baragiola's mindset was solely on finishing her 19th marathon, but as she made the final few strides of the 26.2-mile race, her focus was jolted. She watched in horror, as the store she had visited just the day before became a picture of tragedy. "It all happened so fast," said Baragiola. But there was no time to absorb the graphic imagery. "The people at the finish line were yelling at us to come on," she added. "They just kept pushing us through the line." Lisa was shuffled several blocks away to safety. Meanwhile, her sister Elaine, a spectator, was helplessly stuck at the 25.5-mile marker. "We could only hear the explosion and see smoke in the distance," said Elaine, uncertain of what exactly had happened. "Unmarked police cars started flying down the road and people were screaming," said Elaine. "They diverted us into a mall and put us on lockdown." Clueless about her sibling's status, Elaine checked the race's iPhone app that indicated Lisa had crossed the finish line. "We knew she had finished, but we didn't know where she was at during the explosion," said Elaine, who was unable to call or receive messages after cell phone service was shut off as a safety precaution. Lisa had made plans to meet with members of her Fleet Feet running group at the Marriott following the race, so she hurried to the hotel. The explosion occurred at 2:50 p.m. Lisa reached the Marriott at 3:15. It would be nearly three hours before she made contact with her sister. "It was petrifying ... very unnerving," remembered Elaine. The two finally breathed a sigh of relief when they reunited later in the evening. Lisa, who began running 27 years ago, expected the race to be memorable, but she never intended to become part of history. "It's something I'll never forget," said Lisa. "I've run so many marathons, and it's always an incredible feeling. But to be a part of this is unexplainable." In the days following the event, she has become a minor celebrity. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before," Lisa acknowledged. She hopes it never does again. Images of her nearing the finish line with the explosion in the background have been viewed millions of times. It's not the way she wanted to remember the experience. "It breaks my heart every time," said Lisa. "People's lives have been changed forever." Lisa remembers a point during the race in which she decided to move from the left to the right side of the road. Had she stayed on the left side, danger may have been imminent. "I don't know what it was — God must have made me go to the right," said Lisa, who ran on the left for three to four miles. She witnessed a fellow runner collapse at the force of the explosion. "I feel fortunate, but I feel so bad for others," said Lisa. "It might be the only Boston (Marathon) they get to run." The Boston Marathon has always been one of the most coveted events for runners. But for many, it will no longer seem so enticing. "Right now I have no desire to go back," said Lisa. "Although, I shouldn't say never."

Warrenton resident Lisa Baragiola runs during the Boston Marathon on Monday. Baragiola crossed the finish line moments after the first of two explosions that claimed three lives.

Submitted Photo.