This week… this week… I don’t really have anything to say that hasn’t already been said. I’ve had a lot of runs this week where I’ve processed what happened at the Boston Marathon. It really shook me. Shook me to my core. It felt like someone had attacked me. Like I was at the finish line even though I’m 3,000 miles away. I’ve run marathons between 4:00 to 4:20, the clock read 4:09. Those are the runners I would’ve been pacing against. Those are the runners I would’ve been racing against. Those are the runners like me. My family would’ve been at the finish line. My friends would’ve been anxiously awaiting a text about crossing the finish line. My world at that moment would’ve been focused on that finish line.
This is what I’ve been processing and this is where I’ve landed.
My ultimate runner goal is to run the Boston Marathon. I set this goal a year ago as something I wanted to do before I “aged up” (aka moved into the next age group with a higher qualifying time). I’m more determined that ever to run now. I want to cross that line. I want to be a part of that event. I want to meet the best runners and run along with them. I want to do it by 2017. There, I’ve said it, and I can’t take it back. I want to be at the start line by 2017. Last November, I ran 3:59:22. That gives me a few more to years to shave that down and come in under 3:35.
The only question I have is, why? Why did they target this event? If they wanted to take a stand against American’s “loose values”, why are you choosing to attack an event that people train years for and are disciplined and are just good people? Not that this attack should happen anywhere at anytime, but why a marathon?
So I’m moving forward. I’m standing on firmer ground and I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other. Will this change how I race? No, but I might tell my parents to watch somewhere other than the finish line.
Now, the sport has changed and only time will tell what that means. My heart breaks for all those that finished in Boston to only have their victory overshadowed by this attack or those whose race was cut short. We will race again!
#BostonStrong always and forever.
Want to help support those affected?
Check out the #BostonStrong<city> movement here: http://pavementrunner.com/boston-strong-city/
Sparkly Soul is also donating 20% of Blue, Gold, and Blue/Gold head bands to the Boston relief effort: http://www.sparklysoul.com/Home_Page.html