Monday, Patriot's Day in Massachusetts...the 117th annual Boston Marathon.
A day of cheers, runners, support, laughter, family, pride...and so many other words.
Four hours and nine minutes after the start. BOOM x 2.
All I could think of was a million different things: Who could do this? Why would they do this...what are they getting out of this!? Who is hurt? Did anyone die? What about the runners? What is going to happen next?
As many others before have written on their blogs yesterday and today, we are all deeply saddened for those in Boston. It is a tragedy. There are so many stories that have been shared on facebook, including those from a runners point of view. Many of them from those who were only feet away from the blast, and those a few miles away from the finish line....that they would not be able to get to.
That's the unfortunate thing, but very minor. I think constantly about those injured, the 170+ in hospitals and 3 dead.
But being a runner (that's right I am calling myself a runner) and knowing how hard it can be to train and look forward to that first race no matter how long or short, and being able to cross the finish line...what a feeling that is! And for some reason, someone(s) took that away from so many, even if this wasn't their first Marathon!
They are all finishers in my eyes. Finishing is not the hard part, it is the courage to get started.
The picture to the right is from the race this past Thanksgiving 2012.
I watched the news majority of the evening but had to change the channel to take a break, it was so heartbreaking. My hubby ended up getting in a fight about it, and we weren't even mad at each other, but just so caught up in emotion about our feelings about the event that voices raised and so did the tension. I ended up doing the dishes at 1215am and waiting for my tension to ease up before going to bed. We ended up talking it out some more and ended the night with some kisses and sleep. But how ridiculous is that.
He said to me that it was about time. I didn't get what he meant by that. He said that I didn't really have a reaction (that he thought I would have had) during the Sandy Hook shooting. And when I thought about it, I guess he was right. I held some of that in, but there were also times when I was alone and crying while watching tv. But I don't know what else to do, it just made me feel better to go for a run. How about that!? A run to make me feel better, what a great feeling.
That is what I think set me off. I have this new passion ( I may not always feel this passion) for running, and this annual Marathon in Boston for runners, old and new was taken away from many! So I guess it all kind of triggered. I love children, I love running.
I could go on and on, but I think you who are reading this get how I feel and what I am getting at.
Prayers to all those at the Boston Marathon. Prayers to the families. Prayers to the injured. Prayers to the runners. Prayers to the spectators. Prayers for Boston.
-Stephanie
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