Boston Marathon Bombings
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mikeyrp
Posts: 1,616 Member
This has upset me more than any other act of terrorism (assuming that's what it is) because its an attack on everything I think is good about humanity.
Roger Robinson from Runners world sums up much better than I ever could.
"Marathon running is a sport of goodwill. It's the only sport in the world where if a competitor falls, the others around will pick him or her up. It's the only sport in the world open to absolutely everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or any other division you can think of. It's the only occasion when thousands of people assemble, often in a major city, for a reason that is totally peaceful, healthy and well-meaning. It's the only sport in the world where no one ever boos anybody.
If you're losing your faith in human nature, look at marathon crowds, standing for hours with no seating, no cover, no bathrooms, to cheer thousands of strangers. Or look at our sport's volunteers, on whose shoulders the whole sport rests."
Full article here:
http://www.runnersworld.com/races/boston-bombings-loss-innocence?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-News-_-RogerInnocence
Roger Robinson from Runners world sums up much better than I ever could.
"Marathon running is a sport of goodwill. It's the only sport in the world where if a competitor falls, the others around will pick him or her up. It's the only sport in the world open to absolutely everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or any other division you can think of. It's the only occasion when thousands of people assemble, often in a major city, for a reason that is totally peaceful, healthy and well-meaning. It's the only sport in the world where no one ever boos anybody.
If you're losing your faith in human nature, look at marathon crowds, standing for hours with no seating, no cover, no bathrooms, to cheer thousands of strangers. Or look at our sport's volunteers, on whose shoulders the whole sport rests."
Full article here:
http://www.runnersworld.com/races/boston-bombings-loss-innocence?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-News-_-RogerInnocence
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I agree. I spent most of yesterday alternately in tears over it and then sometimes going, but WHY? Why? I don't understand the point. This wasn't a political rally and while sure, it generates a lot of revenue for Boston...absent a personal grudge against the city or the Marathon...WHY? Why?0
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My heart is heavy too. It's a horrible tragedy on multiple levels for many groups of people and I think the idea of the running community being hurt is what hits a little harder this time? And how sad is it that we now refer to events like yesterdays bombings as "this time". Ugh.
I think the thing to remember is that this was most likely not an attack against running, or the sport, but a place with high visibility and a large crowd. Acts of terror are meant to terrorize.0 -
I'm a Boston girl. Had I not torn my meniscus, I was going to do the Marathon for charity. My mom was at the finish line earlier in the day. Everything about this hits home. I'm just sick.0
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Yesterday at around 2pm I was standing on the corner at mile 23 with some friends and my 3 yearold. We were remarking on how we are so happy to live in Boston and how marathon day is our favorite day because even as a spectator you get to be a part of this remarkable accomplishment. I got home an hour later to put my daughter down for a nap only to find out that my sport and my city had been attacked. Unreal.0
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This was my status from approximately two hours before the bombs went off:
"So today, for most of you, it’s just a normal Monday. But today, in Boston, it’s Marathon Monday. Today is the day that, every year, I say “I’m going to run this marathon someday.” I think it’s time to do it. I think this year I’m saying “I’m going to run a marathon NEXT year.” Next year I’ll be 29 on Marathon Monday, and I’d really like to do it before I’m 30. I won’t qualify, but in the next week or two I’m going to look into some half marathons for this year, and the charities that will help me get into Boston for next year."
This is my status from this morning:
"http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/the-marathon/
I cannot believe this happened in my city.
I have lived here 11 years. I have watched the marathon numerous times. From the exact spots where the bombs went off in fact. I knew too many people in the area with first hand accounts, and if I had not taken Friday off to to go NYC to visit my brother, I would have most definitely taken yesterday off, and been in Copley Square watching at some bar with all my friends, because that's what you do on Marathon Monday. It's what I've done so many times on Marathon Monday.
I knew 4 people running. 2 finished, 2 did not. 3 were just beyond the finish line as the bomb exploded and several of my friends were in between the explosions on the sidewalk. Had they been half a block down, they might be in surgery right now like my neighbor, or be an amputee, or worse, be dead.
The little boy that died was 8. His mother has a traumatic brain injury, and his little sister is in the hospital as well. They were watching their father run. Just like everyone else.
I cannot describe to you what the marathon is like, how it has been in years past, how it inspired me at 200+ pounds to just start running in hopes that someday I could be one of those people who says "I ran THE marathon once" and have everyone know that I meant Boston. I just cannot believe that this happened in my city, on such a pure and wonderful day."
I will still run Boston someday, as I have always wanted to, and now I have much more fire in my drive to do so.0 -
Mike, I am in total agreement with you. Having grown up in an oppressive society with one ruled by violence, lived in a country that is threatened by constant terrorism and being fortunate to then lived in a country that the closest thing to be being "bombed" was coming upon a group of supporters for a footy side called the Bombers.
For some reason this has really struck a cord and I am unable to fathom why.
It might be that as a runner I have an intimate knowledge of what it takes to be able to compete in a marathon, the elation that you feel when you cross the finish line.
Or the simple fact that its not so easy anymore to shrug it off and with "it can't happen to me".0 -
The little boy that died was 8. His mother has a traumatic brain injury, and his little sister is in the hospital as well. They were watching their father run. Just like everyone else.
This could have been my family waiting for me to finish. My son is 8 years old; my kids love running the last stretch to the finish line with me. My wife and I have been avoiding the news while the kids are awake because we don't want them to be scared of the finish line. Up until yesterday I had no interest in running the Boston Marathon, getting a BQ was just a goal to check off.0 -
My wife and I have been avoiding the news while the kids are awake because we don't want them to be scared of the finish line.
Same here. I have my target race coming up in 6 weeks and don't want to upset them.0 -
I agree with everyone above!
If I wasnt pregnant I probably would have been running and my 7 yr old would have been there watching, as she was 7 yrs ago when I ran it. Living here makes it even harder. I feel like this wonderful race is tarnished now and I feel sick about the whole thing.
You can bet your *kitten* I will be lined up next Patriots Day!0 -
I found out yesterday morning (am in Sydney) when I was in the gym for some interval training for an upcoming HM. My trainer told me and I just kept shaking my head - I still can't believe that it happened.
Let's hope this galvanises all runners into more events to show them f*ckers that cowardly acts of violence will not deter people into participating in such a wonderful sport!
When I run that HM in May I will be thinking of all the people affected by this bombing.0 -
Let's hope this galvanises all runners into more events to show them f*ckers that cowardly acts of violence will not deter people into participating in such a wonderful sport!
This is why I am going to train to BQ and run Boston next year. 3 days ago getting a BQ was a goal but for no reason other than to say I did it. Now I am commited to qualifiyng and running in 2014. I am going to abandon my plan of 1 marathon every month this year to make sure I am on fresh legs in September when I make my go at it.0 -
Let's hope this galvanises all runners into more events to show them f*ckers that cowardly acts of violence will not deter people into participating in such a wonderful sport!
This is why I am going to train to BQ and run Boston next year. 3 days ago getting a BQ was a goal but for no reason other than to say I did it. Now I am commited to qualifiyng and running in 2014. I am going to abandon my plan of 1 marathon every month this year to make sure I am on fresh legs in September when I make my go at it.
I hope you get it! It's a dream for me to someone run in Boston and this motivates me even more. Perhaps 2015 for me.0 -
Run for Boston today!
#runforboston
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Run-For-Boston-417/6131353153806030 -
God Bless Boston. My tears for the family. But I am an angry American. :grumble: I am sick of these punks infringing on our rights. So our local walkers and joggers and runners are all logging 26.2mi this week for Boston. We will never stop fighting for our freedoms and we will pursue our happy
<>HUGS0 -
I don't live too far away from Boston and if you have never been to Boston on Patriots day you have no idea of the magnitude of the marathon. This is not just a "race" this is an event that the whole region participates in. The City shuts down, the kids have the day off from school, the Red Sox play at 11:05 so that everyone can see the end of "The Marathon" and if it falls on April 15th we in Mass get an extra day to file our state tax..
I have never run Boston but have attended the race many times. I am running my second marathon next month, and I WILL run Boston next year one way or another. And I know that all of New England, and all of my fellow runners will turn out in numbers never before seen.
God bless all the injured and the families who have lost so much, and all the brave responders who gave so selflessly!
See you all in 2014 on Patriots Day in Hopkinton! WE ARE BOSTON STRONG!0 -
The little boy that died was 8. His mother has a traumatic brain injury, and his little sister is in the hospital as well. They were watching their father run. Just like everyone else.
This could have been my family waiting for me to finish. My son is 8 years old; my kids love running the last stretch to the finish line with me. My wife and I have been avoiding the news while the kids are awake because we don't want them to be scared of the finish line. Up until yesterday I had no interest in running the Boston Marathon, getting a BQ was just a goal to check off.
I have a nine year old son and this story just ripped me apart inside... I now have a mission.0
