NYC Marathon Runner Ends Up A Big Winner Despite Horrible Injury

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Not far from the finish line a woman's marathon dreams were dashed because she needed emergency surgery.

In the end, though, she wound up wearing something better than a medal.

Brittany Boehm got a metal after Sunday's New York City Marathon, a couple of pieces of metal actually.

"Two screws and a metal plate to kind of stabilize the joint," Boehm told CBS 2's Alice Gainer on Monday.

She was referring to the fractured hip joint she suffered during the race that required emergency surgery.

"I sat down on the ground to stretch and when I tried to get back up I heard this huge crack," Boehm said.

Waiting for her at the finish line was her boyfriend of five years, Shane Weber.

"She trained pretty hard since June," Weber said.

Obviously, the finish line signifies the end of a marathon. The one at the end of the race on Sunday was also supposed to be the setting for a proposal for the two to start the rest of their lives together, Gainer reported.

"I had a running pack and the ring attached in the front of it," Weber said.

But when Boehm went down at mile 23, Weber said he had to improvise.

"When they said she was going in for surgery I knew, alright I'm like I might as well just do it here," Weber said.

"He pulled the curtain. He sat down next to me," Boehm said. "He got down on one knee and proposed and I was like 'What? I just broke my hip and now I have to go to surgery and now I have an engagement ring?'"

The situation was a bit out there for Weber as well.

"She was a little loopy but, yeah, I could've used a Valium or two I think," Weber said with a laugh.

Boehm said yes, even after the pain meds wore off. And though they say marriage is a marathon not a sprint, it's possible Boehm will be happy if her trip down the aisle is just a walk.

Boehm ran the race with her sister, who finished. Boehm said she may try to run it again in the future.

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