The Boston Marathon is the crown jewel of races. If you have competed in Boston, you have clout with in the running community. The Boston Marathon is one of the most challenging courses. Then there is New England in the spring, you never know what kind of conditions you are going to be running in. You do have to qualify to get in to the race, but it is one of the few races that accepts people with disabilities. Per Wikipedia, in addition to a wheelchair division (established in 1976), the “Boston Marathon also hosts a blind/visually impaired division and a mobility impaired program. Similar to the running divisions, a set of realistic qualifying times has been developed for these divisions to motivate aspiring athletes and ensure competitive excellence”.
I am a runner. Maybe some day, a Boston Marathoner.
I get up and run every week. It brings me joy. It clears my head. It makes decision easier. It makes my body stronger. It makes me stable. It males me calm. It makes me a better person.
I think in miles. I think in kilometers. I invest in clothes labeled “DriFit”, “HeatGear”, “ColdGear”, and “Climalite”. I wear pacing watches and have 6 different running apps on my iPhone and iPod. I also own some expensive socks!
I’ve learned more things about myself through running. I’ve met new people. I’ve made new friends. I am surrounded by people who understand my passion, my challenges, and my triumphs. They know what goes in to training, to running and to persevering. I’ve become part of a community.
Yesterday my community was shaken. Today it grows stronger.
Proof was all over Facebook, runners went out and did what they do – they RAN
The Flash was out this morning doing 4.09 miles for Boston. People wore past Boston Marathon shirts or past race shirts on their runs (or for those who couldn’t get out to run today, like me and B-rad) we wore our race colors to the office (Dress codes do not apply after national tragedies – fuck business casual!)
To quote a passage from Christopher McDougall‘s national best seller Born to Run,
“And when things look worst, we run the most. Three times, America has seen distance-running skyrocket, and it’s always in the midst of a national crisis. The first boom came during the Great Depression, when more than two hundred runners set the trend by racing forty miles a day across the country in the Great American Foot Race. Running then went dormant, only to catch fire again in the early ’70′s, when we were struggling to recover from Vietnam, the Cold War, race riots, a criminal president, and the murders of three beloved leaders. And the third distance boom? One year after the September 11 attacks, trail-running suddenly became the fastest growing outdoor sport in the county.”
So next spring, expect to see record numbers show up to the nation’s oldest race, cause runners don’t back down. Those who aren’t running now are going to be even more motivated to start. Like everything else, it starts with a single step.
From my friend, American Liver Foundation Fundraiser, and Boston Marathon Runner (2013 and 10 other years strong!) – “Mr. Shirley Temples”
Related articles
- Of Being A Runner (thebadassunicorn.wordpress.com)
- Finding Strength in the Boston Marathon (thehealthymile.wordpress.com)
- Team Hoyt Statue Unveiled At Boston Marathon Start Line (boston.cbslocal.com)
Posted by Souzapalooza 
