Feverishly working the day away on the left coast, I am exhausted from my volunteer activities. I am so glad I knew this would happen in advance so as not to waste a trip and hefty expenses to run the Boston marathon on today. But now why am I getting so many calls and FB messages and text messages asking me if I am okay? Oblivious to the news unless it is sports-related, I check twitter. Yes my source of quick no-chaser info. It appears there was a bombing near the finish line. WTH!
After about 10 minutes looking at the jambalaya of mixed reports, I start responding to everyone's emails, calls, text messages. First my dad who was already comforted in knowing that "he knew I wasn't there". Of course I did not want him to go through the same feeling of not-knowing for hours on end as he did with the World Trade Center incident. Next a general post to Facebook because most people are glued to that.
Now here I go again in disbelief, two days later after trying to understand how the world of sports was crumbling (in my eyes) with the Kobe torn ACL and the Tiger penalty post-Masters play. This one was closer to home because it could have been at ANY marathon in ANY city in ANY country that I run. Talk about blessed and highly favored!
What an awful experience for the traditional only-elite qualification major run in the country? But how do these people put their lives back together again after this tragedy? The injuries, the memories, the feeling of no accomplishment after crossing a finish line marred with drama, the aftermath, the nightmares? I have no idea but one thing is for sure, marathoners know what it is like to persevere. Marathoners understand mind over matter. Marathoners don't quit. Marathoners will walk or crawl to the finish line because we will make it. Marathoners will continue to run and not let this take away their freedom.
So tomorrow, in honor of those impacted in Boston (marathoners, families, and innocent bystanders), this New Yorker will rep her blue and yellow. Giants and Jets fans don't care about the Patriots today; we love the Americans that are Patriots fans. The Bronx Bombers will stand with Boston and the Knicks will honor Boston too regardless of the bitter sports rivalry. That's what New Yorkers will do. Now when it comes to the Knicks taking on the Celtics in the playoffs, we still have to route for the 'orange and blue' but we will still clap for the 'green and white' because New Yorkers know what it feels like to be invaded on what we considered safe territory.