WESTFIELD – She’s run this exact race each of the past few years, since she was a junior in high school. All 26.2 miles. She can tell you about each one, starting in Hopkinton, ending in the Hub of the Universe. The Boston Marathon is Westfield State junior Andrea Domings’ annual homecoming.
For Domings, even the smoke, chaos and pandemonium that marked the tragic conclusion of what was the 2013 Boston Marathon couldn’t obscure her purpose, her motivation for running that day, as she had each Patriot’s Day since she was a track star at Lexington High School.
Domings has always brought hope with her to the finish line.
Domings began running and training with a team called Marathon Strides For Multiple Sclerosis while at Lexington, and began interning for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Greater New England while at Westfield State, as a way of helping to find a cure for the disease her mother Sandra was diagnosed with 13 years ago. That diagnosis changed her life and strengthened her bond with her mother.
They began training together with Marathon Strides in Andrea’s senior year of high school to complete the arduous course together, and while they both went at their own paces in training and during the marathon, the bond between them which strengthened during training was one that can only truly be achieved and felt by a mother and daughter.
“Even though my mom and I do not run physically side by side, we are mentally running all 26.2 miles together.” she said in 2010 leading up to their first marathon together.
In this, her fifth marathon, Domings has continued her streak of registering better and better times, clocking in between four and four and a half hours, as she had over the past few years.
Now in her third year at Westfield State, Domings has excelled in both cross country and in distance events for the track and field team, a team which has won MASCAC championships in both the indoor and outdoor seasons during her tenure at WSU.
The marathon is always a highlight of her spring. Unfortunately, this year’s event is one she’ll probably never forget.
As she approached Boylston Street, on pace to achieve her best time yet, the bombs detonated, the second only a few dozen yards away from her.
“When I heard the first bang, I thought it was a cannon or thunder. After the second, I knew it wasn’t thunder but I was unsure what it was,” she said, “(the bangs) startled me, and I turned to see a large cloud of smoke. I couldn’t even see past mile 26.”
Upon seeing police and emergency personnel descend upon the smokey, chaotic finish line, Domings realized the situation was serious and began to retrace her steps backward, attempting to get back to where her parents were.
“Cell reception was immediately dead,” she said, in the wake of the explosions, “and I had no idea how I was getting back (to my parents). As I walked back, I started to get cold, as I was in just my running spandex and a tanktop, but a woman gave me a scarf and said keep it.”
As she continued her march through the commotion and tragedy, another woman and her daughter gave her water and offered her a power bar.
“It’s amazing how people come together to help anyone.” she said.
Around an hour later, mother and daughter were together again at the bus where her bag and her bib number were located, one of the thousands of survivors of a harrowing afternoon. However, the race had been run on Andrea’s part that day for the same reason she had always run it – for the woman she was now reunited with.
When asked of whether she will run at next year’s event, Domings didn’t hesitate.
“That’s not on my mind at the moment. I’m more concerned for the families who were affected.” she said.
Just as sure as there will be a Boston Marathon in 2014, as confirmed earlier this week, Domings will continue to run for the Owls of Westfield State and her mother.
And, most importantly, for hope.
