The women's finish was pretty exciting. Kara Goucher (she is AWESOME!) was just a few steps behind another runner and I really thought she was going to catch her at the end! Here I am at work (don't tell my boss!) yelling "Come on! You got her! Push!" at my computer screen. Goucher was so focused, she was ignoring the race officials telling her to get over to the finish lane! Unfortunately, she came in 2 seconds behind the runner. The first thing she said after finishing was, "Where is Shalane?" Even in such a competitive field like the Boston Marathon, she is asking about her training partner. Love that! Overall, she was 6th and her running partner, Shalane Flanagan, came in 4th. As for the male runners, Jason Hartmann came in 4th. Overall, it was a fantastic day for American elite runners. I can only imagine how exciting being in Boston was.
And then, tragedy struck.
The timing of the explosions haunts me. Four hours is a pretty average time for a lot of marathoners. Tim's first marathon was 4:04. I remember all of us waiting, ready to cheer him on as he took those last steps towards the finish. For me personally, hearing Tim's parents shout my name as I finished my first half marathon is a highlight of my running. The cheering is what propels you at the end. Those spectators are friends, family members, finishers... They are all a part of racing experience. They are there to enjoy it just as much as the runners. For someone to use this area as an opportunity to cause so much destruction and hurt so many people... It just makes me so angry.
I won't pretend to know how the people of Boston feel. All I know is I am upset. I am sad. My heart aches for the people that are injured and the loved ones that have been lost. I am hurt for our country. Why did this happen? What were these terrorists trying to accomplish by bombing folks watching and participating in an iconic race? I want answers. I want justice. I want our country to choose to come together, instead of bickering and becoming even more divided. We need healing, and division doesn't ever enable that.
The tragedy at the Boston Marathon is horrific, but it also demonstrates the good in people. There are dozens of stories about how the people of Boston came together to help stranded runners. Race organizers, police, finishers, etc. flocked the injured to get them to safety. The human spirit was demonstrated a million different ways yesterday. If I can't find anything good in yesterday, I have to think of that. That there is more good in this world than there is bad. Sometimes the bad is just a bit louder and harder to ignore. We need to drown out the bad with human kindness. I like to think that is what was happening in Boston yesterday.
I feel helpless in situations like this. I mean, I live in the middle of the country, miles and miles away from Boston. As a runner and fan of it's marathon, I felt like I had to show my support in some way. So, when Jaime asked us to join her and Tracy for a run this morning to honor Boston, it seemed like the best thing to do. Running three miles in the wee hours of the morning can't heal the injured... I would run miles and miles if I could make that happen. Our run was just a runner's way of saying, "Hey, we are thinking/praying for you Boston. We are here for you."
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