Marathon Monday

   As I sit here on Patriots Day I am flooded with varied emotions. I've always been the kind of person who's had the ability to hide my feelings well. That particular skill has served me well throughout my career in law enforcement. I've always prided myself on my calm professionalism, my ability to show control when it's needed and being able to detach from the terrible things that mankind can do to one another. Maybe that's why I love distance running so much. I seem to have a knack ignoring the discomfort of the long miles. Maybe even take some solace in the pain that they give. Even if I'm smiling the whole time. 

   But, like I said today was a day of emotion that, even with my poker face, I couldn't help but show on my face. I think that as runners we're much more in touch with who we are than regular people. We are able to go to places within ourselves that nobody understands but other runners. Sometimes those places are wonderful. Sometimes those places are downright frightening. Places where you find out what you're truly made of deep down inside.

   Last year I worked the day of the race. Sometimes in my line of work you can get cut off from the outside world. I didn't find out about the bombing until I was driving home well after 3 PM. My thoughts ranged from anger to sadness. It was even worse after I got home. All that I could do was watch the horrific images coming out of Boston on my TV. So terrible, so sad, so tragic. Terrorists had turned the most sacred of races into something horrible. I checked to make sure that all of my friends who were there running that day were OK. I assured everyone who contacted me that I wasn't there and was safe.

   I couldn't take the haplessness anymore and didn't know what else to do. So, I went to my local gym for a run. I couldn't stand anymore of the non-stop TV coverage. So, I decided to run outside. I ran 6 miles in 50:07. Looking back I remember a gray, overcast sky, lots of yelling at nobody in particular, swearing and maybe a tear or two. I'm a runner, I'm a patriotic American, I love Boston and I hate scumbags who do shit like this. So cowardly.

   Over the following week I honored those who lost their lives, prayed for those who were injured and eagerly watched the news coverage of the manhunt. I ran my own tribute runs. Blogged about Boston in my running blog. I cheered with joy when Boston PD got their man. I even traveled to Boston, met with fellow runners and visited the finish line.

   A year later I still have a lot of strong feeling about this day. What it means. I've met many different people over my lifetime. But, distance runners are some of the best. Talk about the wrong group of people to piss off. We don't back down. We don't cower. We are the ones who pay money to run 26.2 miles for fun. You can't even begin to fuck with us. We are what defines "hardcore".

   I salute all of those today who ran Boston for the first time, those of you who ran to finish a marathon that was brutally cut short last year and those of you who ran because you needed to. I wish I could've been with you. Mark my words, I will be someday. You showed that we re not afraid as a group, as a country, as individuals. 

   I may have not been able to run in Boston this year. But I did go for my own Boston run. It was much different than last year's. It was just a perfect day. The sun was shinning. The air was clear and light. Yes, the anger still remains. But, there's now an overwhelming sense of hope. The horrific events that occurred in Boston a year ago didn't weaken our sport, our community or our country. It shot what we do into the forefront and if anything, encouraged people to try on some running shoes and test their limits. That my friends, is an extremely powerful thing!

   Runners are the strongest people that I know. But, we bleed like everyone else. Even with the ability to run for 26 miles, we do have our limits. But, we as a community have come together and shown the world that we're not going to let fear overshadow what we love. Yes, there were some tears choked back today. My most favorite American distance runner, Meb has won the race. He's the first one to do so since 1983. You couldn't have picked a better person to win this race for us this year!

   It was a good day to be a runner! Ride that lightning and stay strong...