I’m not sure how I can put into words what to feel right now. Sadness, anger, disgust, disbelief, the list goes on. I can’t help but to feel complete confusion and ask why, over and over again.
I wasn’t there and thankfully my friends are safe, but I just need to get it out there. I feel like this was an attack on my own family, because this entire running community is my family. It’s your family. It’s our family. And this is completely senseless and gut wrenching, but we will not let it hold us down.
The Boston Marathon holds a special place in my heart, as do all of you, and I can’t imagine all of that being taken away. So with that, just a note to say I love our running community, please be safe, and my prayers are with everyone in Boston.
Tomorrow, hug a runner. Then your mom. Then your dog. Then the person next to you. Then go for a run. And then read this.
#HugARunner
Page, I don’t even know you, but I just wanted to let you know that today, when I found out about the Boston bombings you were one of the first people I thought of. It was a tragedy what happened today and my thoughts and prayers are with everykne who has been affected by this. I had to come check your page to make sure you were not running in the marathon today.
I stumbled upon your blog through google one day and reading about your journey to complete an iron man triathlon has inspired me to become more serious about my running and try to get better at it. Every week I come here to see how your journey is progressing, so I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me.
– Stephanie
Thanks for the love and the kind words. It was scary, we were all shattered, but the good news is that the nation is taking one big sigh of relief tonight 🙂
Best of luck on your running journey. <3
I am running my first marathon in Dec. I may not BQ until I’m 80. But running is in my heart. It’s a part of me now that gives me strength and teaches me lessons. The support from family and friends, seeing them cheering us on as we go through the course, the volunteers aiding us along the way, supporting us to cross that ultimate line of success. . . it’s something I am more grateful for today than ever before. <3
I agree that it’s hard to know exactly what to say. Runners are a close group. It’s heartbreaking.
I hate that spectators got hurt. Our sherpas and our cheerleaders and our #1 fans. I keep thinking about my friends who were standing right on Boylston cheering when I ran a few years ago and about my mom who was right beyond the finish waiting for me. Just thinking about how the runners still on the course must have felt knowing people were waiting for them breaks my heart all over again.
But I love runners. And running. And Boston. And that WaPo article, which I keep rereading and which keeps making me cry every time I read the line “Others dress up in costumes to make the runners smile. The fact that other people can run this far makes us believe we can run that far. It’s a happy thought. It makes us all feel a little bit stronger.”
Hugs for runners <3