This year
won’t be a Boston Marathon year for me.
I registered back in the fall, and I have gone back and forth
continually for the last 6 months, over whether I wanted to go. A big part of me just assumed I would end up
running on Patriot’s day this year, because I have for the last 3 years.
The Boston
Marathon has kind of become a big part of me, and I never really thought that
was possible before.
As runners,
the Boston Marathon is, in some way, part of all of us. It always has been. That big race is the topic of conversation
for runners of all kinds, and even non-runners.
From the
people that aren’t quite clear about running:
“Oh, you’re
a runner? Have you ever run Boston?” or,
“is that marathon the same distance as the Boston Marathon?”
…to the
people that are a bit more experienced:
“Do you
ever want to train to qualify for Boston?” or “Have you run a BQ?”
The Boston
Marathon was always one of the most well-known marathons. Even I knew of the race back a trillion years
ago before I was ever a runner. Back
when I completed my very first marathon, I assumed that the likes of my running
legs would never see the starting line of that race. When I worked at the
Running Room throughout my University years, we had a little framed grid on the
front counter. It was a spreadsheet
outlining the qualifying times for the elusive Boston Marathon.
I would
look at those times for Females under 30 (and, by the way, 30 seemed like,
soooo old to me) and I would flip back and forth between dreaming of how
manageable it would be to break 3:40, and how too.dang.hard it would be in
reality. This was back in the days
before I could just glance at my smartphone and calculate paces/times so I was
really just dreaming at that point!
When I ran
my second marathon, a running friend (who ran the same race) qualified. She ran a 3:30 in Ottawa and I was beyond
excited for her. If she did it, maybe I
could too?
…..
Exactly two
years ago, the Boston Marathon was changed forever. As I ran down the street amidst the chaos of
that day, on tired legs and with a foggy brain, I realized that things wouldn’t
ever be the same.
The Boston
Marathon became inescapable headline news, where it really has remained. The race became a bigger sign of hope and
strength than it had ever been before.
When we
returned to the race in 2014, I arrived knowing I was there to prove
something. I was there to prove that
this race was a place for runners and spectators, and the spirit of running and
spectating. That day was one of the most
amazing days. It was crowded. Wow, it was crowded. The course was pure energy. Most of that energy came from the crowds of
spectators that were there for me, a runner.
The spectators demonstrated a kind of endurance I was envious of! They looked me in the eyes and shouted
support. They cheered and high-fived and
made it magic.
On April 15th
I will always pause to remember how lucky I am.
I will pause to remember the lives that were changed on that day. I will remember the lives that were lost. I will remember that this day is the day that
things changed forever.
I will pause
to remember the hopeful feeling I gained and appreciated when I returned to
Boston last year.
The Boston
Marathon. 26.2 Miles, just like all of the other marathons. But so much more than that at the same time.
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| Boston's Finest |
