I Can't Wait To Run

I know I'm a little late in the game, but last week was quite a week for the running community.

I mean, I can't even begin to speak about the Boston Marathon. I may never cross a starting line or a finish line of the Boston Marathon, or any marathon for that matter. But I cried watching the coverage of the bombing.

And in my head all I could think was "how dare you." I didn't even know who I was speaking to at the time, whether it was an angry group of people or terrorists or whoever. I just wanted to go up to them and say "how dare you." How dare you ruin this moment for these runners and spectators. How dare you ruin some of these people's lives.

How dare you turn one of the happiest places on earth, a finish line, into a crime scene. I always said that running, training, racing, are things that are a part of you that nobody can take away. You can take away any medal or running shoes or even the free race t-shirt. But nobody could ever take away the part of you where running has left it's mark of happiness. And you, whoever you are, managed to do just that. How dare you.

It may not look like much, but it's so much more than a finish line

It's all I kept saying that night. And I realize now how dramatic it sounds. But so many other people who clearly have a much better way with words than I do were saying such amazing things. About the finish line being such a great place. About feeling like someone hurt a member of their family by hurting other runners. About never losing their spirit or faith in humanity.

Whoever you are, how dare you mess with runners.

I'm never this dramatic or ranty. But I just needed that out there.

And then there was the London Marathon. It made me itch with anticipation for my next run. Watching the unconditional respect for Boston, for everyone around them, for volunteers, for people just holding up a sign. While the beginning of the week was all fire and rage, watching the London Marathon coverage was like a breath of fresh air. 

I always said I want to do a marathon one day. It won't be this year and it might not be next year. But one day I'll do a marathon. And whichever one it is, I can't wait to run it.

And whichever my next race is, I can't wait to run that either.

And my group run tomorrow night, no matter how tired I am after work, I can't wait to run that, too.