On Monday, three Lawrence runners, Jack Hope, left, Scott McVey and Leigh Myers will run in the Boston Marathon. Their friend and running partner John Frydman, right, also of Lawrence, ran in last year's Boston Marathon and was nearby when bombs killed three spectators and injured more than 260.

A recent back injury and move into a new home weren’t going to stop Tiffany Francis from participating in Monday’s Boston Marathon.

In fact, she knew on the day of last year’s race she would be back.

The Lawrence interior designer remembers crying tears of joy as she ran the 2013 marathon: She was overwhelmed by all the well wishes from the crowd, the beautiful spectacle of the race.

Then the bombs went off.

The response to that tragedy — from first responders, law enforcement, the city of Boston — solidified her desire to run again.

“I want to show that terrorists can’t stop us. We just have to keep moving forward and stick together,” said Francis, 51, who finished the marathon about 45 minutes before the explosions that killed three spectators and wounded more than 260. “If anything, I’m going out of respect for all these people who have worked so hard — the ones who were injured, doctors, volunteers. Everybody has put so much energy into this that I feel like we owe it to them.”

Francis isn’t the only person from Lawrence heading to Boston for this year’s marathon. A dozen Lawrence residents have entered the race, according to the Boston Athletic Association.

“Being a runner, you have a lot of long-term goals. It made sense to make Boston the goal after what happened last year,” said Leigh Myers, 50, a Lawrence mechanical engineer who will be participating in his first Boston Marathon. “We want to show up and support the city, support running, support the race.”

Jack Hope, who owns a local construction company, says that for runners the Boston Marathon is the pinnacle of success. The race has strict qualifying standards and is considered one of the more difficult marathons because of how hilly the course is. “You don’t have anything else to accomplish after you qualify for Boston,” he said. “That is the race.”

Hope, 66, ran the 2003 Boston Marathon, a year and a half after 9/11. Security was tight for that event, but it likely won’t compare with the police presence at this year’s race, which has 36,000 registered participants with a million more people expected as spectators.

“It really kind of ups the motivation and the excitement of being a part of it,” Scott McVey, a 35-year-old mechanical engineer from Lawrence, said of running in Monday’s Boston Marathon, which will be his second. “It goes from being special to being extremely special.”

Other Lawrence residents who have signed up for the marathon include Kevin Doyle, Kelly Gil, Madeline Glass, Karen Hyde, Trevor Johannsen, Patricia Nott, Nicholas Shump and Luke Waller.

Lawrence attorney John Frydman was two blocks away from the finish line at the 2013 Boston Marathon when he heard the first explosion. He thought it was a bomb. After the second blast a few moments later, he was sure of it.

While he won’t be returning this year — he plans to take part in next year’s race — he says those who are competing will be sending the terrorists an important message.

“You can’t let them win,” he said. “You’ve got to run.”

One of Frydman’s running buddies, Hope, noted that the event is like one big party, with members of the crowd cheering for and hugging runners as they pass by. “I get about two miles out and I tear up every time,” he said. “Running Boston is a very emotional experience.”

“This year even more so,” Frydman added.