2 Mi'kmaw runners credit community support for helping them reach Boston Marathon finish line

Uplifted by the beauty of the city and the cheers from the crowd, two Mi'kmaw runners from Unama'ki, known as Cape Breton, N.S., finished the 126th annual Boston Marathon on Monday.

Leurette LaBobe saidshe did it for her kids.

"My son said, 'I'm so proud of you,' and all I ever wanted to do was to make my kids proud of me," said LaBobe, who isfrom Membertou First Nation.

This year'sBoston Marathon, the world's oldest annual marathon race,had over 25,000 participants. To qualify for the42.2 kilometre race, participants have to run anothermarathon under a set time limit for their age group before registering.

LaBobe works as an Indigenous student support worker for theCape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board and studies social work at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. The mother of five said she was a last-minute selection, and found out she was going only three weeks before the race.

She started running nine years agoto help her quit cigarettes. She said the rush she getsfrom running helps keep hergrounded and she's been running the hills around Sydney, N.S., ever since.

Kids kept her motivated

LaBobefocused mostly on school and work during thelead-up to the race, and saidher course work was gruelling. The lack of preparation led to some fear which she said slowed her downduring her race but she wanted to set anexample for her kids.

"I wanted my five kids to see that I can still do things that I'm scared of and they can do it if they put their minds to it," said LaBobe, 35.

The thought of her kids at home and the kids in the schools also kept her motivatedduring the final stretch in Boston.

"I'm not going to let myself get roasted by a bunch of elementary, middle school and high school kidsif I gave up," said LaBobe.

She finished in 4:33:48 and said shefelt the love and support from Unama'ki and the entire Mi'kmaw nation. She hopes by finishing the marathon other Indigenous youth will be inspired to put ona pair of running shoes, too.

Jarvis Googoo, from We'koqma'q First Nation, hopes his race can inspire Mi'kmaw youth as well.

"I want youth back home to be proud of who they are," said Googoo, 41.

Googoo is an Indian Day School survivor and began running as a means to stay healthy. In 2016, he ran his first marathon and quickly set his sights on qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

He finished with a time of 3:15:07 and hopes to run it under three hours in the future.Googoo said he was impressed by the size of the crowd that came out to cheer on the runners and the support ofthe city

He was also touched that his home community put together a video to cheer him on.

He said he was honoured torepresent We'koqma'q during his race.

"It meant so much to me but at the same time, it felt like a big responsibility, too," said Googoo.

Both runners have plans to run the Boston Marathonagain. LaBobe said she wants to dedicate moretraining timefor the next one, and hopes to run shorter distance races to prepare. Googoo saidhe's already looking forward to the Marine Corps Marathon in Virginia in the fall.

Peres Jepchirchirof Kenya won the Boston Marathonwomen's division with a time of 2:22:01 and became the first athlete to win the Boston, New York City and Olympic Marathons. Evan Chebetof Kenya won the men's division with a time of 2:06:51.