Canadians are among the runners from around the world who have descended on Massachusetts to rekindle the sporting spirit of the Boston Marathon and mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly bombing near the race finish line.

Security is tight and makeshift memorials have been set up near the finish line in downtown Boston as the city prepares to honour victims of the attack at last year’s race.

Canadian-born doctor Safdar Medina is participating in the race on behalf of a charity, MR8, which was founded in honour of Martin Richard.

The eight-year-old was the youngest of three people who died when two bombs exploded near the finish line on Boylston Street on April 15, 2013. Hundreds were also injured in the explosion, which sent runners and spectators fleeing from the scene.

Medina said he felt moved to do something to honour Martin’s memory.

“The tragedy that the Richard family experiences is something that touches us all,” Medina told CTV News. “For me, especially being the father of young children, it really was close to my heart.”

Winnipeg resident Tim Turner says it will be an emotional return to Boylston Street.

Turner was racing last year and had crossed the finish line before the bombs went off. The explosion, he says, is still fresh in his mind.

“I started meeting up with our group in the family meeting area and then just all of a sudden, the bombs start going off,” an emotional Turner told CTV News.

His wife Ramona, who was en route to the meeting area, didn’t know what was going on in the chaotic minutes after the blast. When she heard about the explosion from a woman on the subway, Ramona panicked, realizing she had not heard from her husband in more than an hour.

“When I realized that, it was heart-stopping,” Ramona Turner recalled.

Tim Turner said Monday’s race is a time to honour those who died as well as a time to celebrate.

“We can’t let things like this stop us,” he said. “we have to continue to live and enjoy life and we have to go back and celebrate for what we didn’t get to celebrate last year.”

His wife will be waiting for him at the finish line wearing a T-shirt that says “Winnipeg cheers for Boston.”

With files from CTV News’ Joy Malbon and Rahim Ladhani