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Little Rock Man Eager To See Finish Line This Year In Boston Marathon

Jeff Glasbrenner

As Boston marks the anniversary of the marathon bombings, one Little Rock man who was part of the marathon last year is eager to return to the city and see the finish line.

Jeff Glasbrenner was a little over three blocks away from the finish line last year when the bombs went off. Police rushed in to stop the race and, at the time, he did not understand why. 

He said he is a competitive person and it was difficult for him to stop and not finish what he started.

"For me it's always about getting to the finish line. Going back this year was an easy decision. I wasn't going to let two bad guys steal my finish line," said Glasbrenner.

The 41-year-old amputee who lost the bottom half of one leg in a farming accident when he was 8 years old has been active in sports for years. He is a three-time Paralympian for wheelchair basketball. Over the past several years, he has been running, swimming and biking. He has completed 13 marathons and 22 Ironman triathlons, widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world.

"I was always told when I first lost my leg that I couldn't play sports. I found wheelchair basketball in college and never looked back," he said. 

This year, he will bring two other amputees with him to take on the challenge of running the Boston Marathon.

Glasbrenner has a special prosthetic leg made for running that is different from the prosthetic leg he normally uses.

Jeff Glasbrenner with his kids
Jeff Glasbrenner with his children

"Technology over the years has been truly amazing. Each and every year [my leg] has been bigger and better and lighter and stronger," he said. 

Glasbrenner has a wife and two children.

He said he does feel somewhat nervous about the Boston Marathon. 

"I didn't expect last year to happen. That didn't even enter my mind. Now it definitely does. I feel that nothing is going to happen. But, in the back of your mind, you're always looking over your shoulder just a little bit," said Glasbrenner.

He said running the race will allow him to honor those who died and were injured last year and not let anything stand in the way of a dream.

Karen Tricot Steward was a News Anchor, Reporter and Content Development Director for UA Little Rock Public Radio.