Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Rambles

Since 3 p.m. yesterday a lot has been said.  Thoughts and prayers have been extended.  I've seen links to many different news articles, blogs, and social media statuses supporting those in pain from the horrible events at the Boston marathon.  I do not have anything groundbreaking to say about it.  The story gripped me, as I'm sure it has done to you.  I'm merely using this platform to get some thoughts off my chest.

When I got home from work, an hour after the blast, I sat with my wife and watched the coverage while our girls played in another room.  After a while my wife looked at me and said very calmly "this one hit close to home".  We knew people at the race. One person finished a little over a half hour before the blast, a local runner in the community finished five minutes before the explosion.  What she meant by it hitting so close was her being one of those people in the crowd.  I've done a couple big city races and she has been there at the finish line.  Hearing this from her scared me.  Throughout the coverage of the day I hadn't once thought about my safety as a runner.  Hearing that an innocent loving family member could be hurt would rock me even more than myself being hurt.

There is not a part of me that can understand what the families who have lost loved ones have been going through.  Frankly, I'm not going to try.  I'm going to continue in praying and join in with the millions of others covering these families with the Lord's comforting touch.

The running community is strong.  Much stronger than whoever put on this heinous attack.  Tonight I'm thankful for being in this community.  In the past 24 hours I've been emotional both for the lost and for the love shining out of people.

Watching videos of people in the blast radius tearing down barricades and performing life saving medical treatment still amazes me.  In times of horror and fear people come together.  I wish it didn't come to moments like this for all of us to join and work together.

If you get a chance, please join in with your local running community and run in remembrance.  I don't know about you but I won't let fear scare me from doing something I love.  If you can't run with your community just get out and run.  Put away the watch and the ipod and run.

2 comments:

  1. It really does hit close to home. Though I am just starting out on my running journey I plan some big city races in the future. It is scary but runners are a strong bunch!

    (found you on running bloggers btw.)

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    1. Yeah. We were in downtown Chicago last year for the marathon. I don't think we ever feared the city while we were there. If anything, we found safety in the crowds.

      What happened in Boston won't change that. If anything it'll make us a stronger community. I don't foresee myself ever running the Boston marathon but I will be in that city cheering, volunteering, or whatever in the next few years.

      Thanks for reading :)

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