Regent Square Area Residents OK After Running the Boston Marathon

Several Pittsburgh area residents—including some from Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, Swissvale and Park Place—who were running the Boston Marathon are OK after two explosions near the finish line killed three and injured many.

They took to social media to let people know they were safe.

Leyah Valgardson of Swissvale alerted her Facebook friends Monday afternoon that she was unharmed.

"The Lord was very mindful of me, my sister Chalyce and my colleagues and blessed us with safety," she wrote. "I ask each of you to join me in praying for those who were affected by today's tragedies."

Frank Oberlitner of Wilkinsburg Tweeted on Monday that he, his family and friends were all safe.

Greg Barnhisel of Park Place near Regent Square finished the race in 3 hours and 4 minutes, more than an hour before the bombs went off. On his Facebook page, he notified friends that he was unaffected by the disaster.

"I did race but was unaffected by the disaster, which is tragically not the case with many other people, and it's heartbreaking to think that among those are likely a number of the race volunteers," he wrote.

According to the Post Gazette, Michael McParlane, 61, of Park Place near Regent Square had signed up to race, but never showed due to a calf injury.

Two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon had people carrying bloody spectators into the medical tent set up for runners, according to an Associated Press report on the Pocono Record website.

The explosions happened about three hours after the winners crossed the finish line. "There are a lot of people down," the AP quoted one man saying.

CNN is reporting three are people dead, including an 8-year-old boy, and about 170 people are injured. A story on the Chicago Tribune website also said the explosions happened as people were cheering on those still completing the race.

NBC News reported fire engines, police and emergency medical personnel were headed to the scene. An affiliate reporter told NBC News she heard two loud explosions, and that "everybody kind of ducked and hit the ground," and Jackie Bruno, reporter for New England Cable News said she saw people with significant injuries, including one person with a leg blown off.

"Runners were coming in and saw unspeakable horror," Bruno said.  

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For a full list of race participants, including by area, click here.

If you haven't heard from a friend of loved one, click here to check the Red Cross' "Safe & Well" registry.

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A Crescent Township woman and a Shadyside resident also are safe after running.

Read the reactions of Cranberry area residents who ran the race.

Read more from our Boston area Patch sites.

Were you one of the runners from the area participating in the Boston Marathon? Please contact editor Heidi Dezayas at heidi.dezayas@patch.com.

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