'Team 415 Strong' Boston Marathon Runners Share Story Of Survival

BOSTON (CBS) - Every person who runs the Boston Marathon has a mission and a story. Members of Team 415 Strong share a story of survival.

On April 15, 2013, they were at the finish line when the bombs went off. They are now preparing to run the race of their lives.

Their road to recovery brought them full circle back to the marathon itself. Seven months after the attacks, the BAA offered survivors entry to the 2014 race. Team 415 strong was born.

"The last thing I remember thinking before the bomb went off was 'I want to run this race,'" said Elizabeth Bermingham. "And here I was a year later and had the opportunity to do that."

Bermingham had already run a marathon, but most of the group had not, and the goal was to help them train.

"Watching people that were really not runners get very excited about having these passes to run the marathon, there were these wonderful comments of you know this is a chance to take back the finish line," Dave Fortier said.

"These are folks that had been hurt the year before, and we didn't want them to get hurt again."

Fortier ran for Dana Farber in 2013 and had trained with former Boston champ Jack Fultz, who was quick to offer his services.

"Jack became our coach," Fortier said. "The folks at Marathon Sports have let us train out of here."

Twenty eight of these survivors trained for, started, and finished the Boston Marathon last year. Most had never run more than five miles.

"It was a really emotional experience," Bermingham said. "I haven't worked that hard for anything in my entire life."

This year's team includes first timer Michelle L'Heureux. She admits training has been tough, but it's all relative.

"Thinking about the weeks that I wasn't able to walk," L'Heureux said. "Sometimes when I'm running looking down at my legs I think 'I went from that and now look what I'm doing.'"

The same resolve that will get them to the finish line has guided their journeys.

"You're stronger than you ever could realize you are," L'Heureux said. "I don't think you realize it until you have no other option."