A sailor crosses the finish line of the Boston Marathon in honor of his fallen comrades

Micah Herndon's head hung between his shoulders as he squatted on all fours. Fixing the pavement in front of him, he placed one hand in front of the other and walked painfully toward his goal: the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Despite severe cramps making his legs almost useless, Marine's 31-year-old veteran told the Washington Post that he was determined to end Monday's "unassisted" run to honor the lives of three men. that he had known while he was in Afghanistan service, who were killed after their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in 2010.

"Nothing against anyone who received help, but I did not want help," said Herndon, who survived the blast that killed the men. "I wanted to finish alone because the pain I felt at that time, or at any moment, was nothing compared to the guys and families who were lost there."

Herndon and his determination have since been widely advertised as "inspiring" after several videos from him dragging himself to the yellow and blue finish line became viral on social media, collecting each hundreds of thousands of views early Tuesday morning. He finished the race in 3 hours 38 minutes.

"These are the personified guts," commented Darren Rovell, Sports Trade Analyst.

The resident of Tallmadge, Ohio, has not always been a passionate runner. Monday's race was only the third full marathon of his career, he said.

Herndon said that he was attracted to running many years ago when he understood that it provided him with the "release" that he was desperately seeking. At the time, Herndon, like many veterans, was struggling to meet the challenge of returning to normal life after four years of active service in the Marines, where he was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This brings me to a place that helps me forget everything," said Herndon, describing the activity as "therapy." "It's a temporary escape from everyday life."

Herndon would like to forget about the events of January 9, 2010: the day a 400-pound IED pulled out a vehicle carrying his Marine comrades, Matthew Ballard and Mark Juarez, and the British journalist Rupert Hamer, who was traveling with the unit.

Juarez and Hamer were killed during the impact. Herndon stated that Ballard, his best friend, was injured during the attack and later died as a result of his injuries.

"The survivor's guilt is real," said Herndon. "I definitely have it because I was the main gunner of this convoy and I did not see the bomb buried. I live with it every day.

He would survive two more booby trap attacks, both targeting the vehicle he was in.

"There is a reason I am here," he said. "I'm just trying to find out why this reason is used."

Herndon used running to honor Ballard, Juarez and Hamer.

A photo posted on Facebook in February showed bibs with the men's last name. The bright orange worn by Herndon at Nikes on Monday had three identification plates etched on the laces.

It's the memory of his fallen comrades that propelled him to the finish line in Boston, said Herndon.

Herndon was about to finish in less than three hours and was hoping to qualify for the New York Marathon in November. But things started to go wrong when he hit Heartbreak Hill, the incredibly difficult slope near the 20-mile race.

The discomfort, he said, started in the Achilles tendon and "just got back from there."

With a little more than four miles between him and the finish line, the growing pain in his legs became overwhelming.

"My two legs just gave up," said Herndon.

But he persevered, focusing his attention on the three men he was running for. Herndon chanted their names aloud, ignoring the sometimes strange look of runners.

"I kept repeating those names," he said. "The thoughts of their memories and their families go through the spirit as they always do."

As it was his first participation in the historic race, Herndon did not know exactly where the finish line was. He only knew how much time he had left to go.

"I kept looking at my watch and it was as if kilometer 23, the 23-and-a-half kilometer kilometer, was as if the finish line could ever get here?", A-t -he declares. "But I was running at such a slow pace, it took forever."

When Herndon's legs could not carry him further, he dropped down on all fours. At times, he even relied on his Marine training, resorting to a "low ramp", lowering his entire body to the ground.

The race volunteers accompanied Herndon in the final stretch, guiding the other runners away from him. After crossing the finish line, he was immediately placed in a wheelchair, announced CBS Boston.

Social media broke out with reactions to the video of his arrival, which was shared by mainstream media such as ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

A spectator thanked Herndon for "showing America the true definition of honor and courage".

"Nothing but respect for this man," another person tweeted.

Herndon still had not seized his viral fame at the end of Monday.

"It's a bit overwhelming," he said. "I did not expect it to be so big, or even so big."

He added that he hoped to use his attention to shed light on the "failing system" that veterans face when they return home.

"If we can do something about it, that's all I'm interested in," he said, urging others to find their own healthy outlets, as he did.

Although he is still recovering in Boston, he said Monday, he looked like "a veteran baby trying to walk", it will not be long before Herndon is back on the pavement.

"I'm definitely back in the subject," he said, "because that's my therapy and you do not miss the therapy."

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