April 15, 2013. A day that will live in runner's infmay

As I am sitting here watching the 9pm evening news, recapping the horrific events of earlier today, I am moved to tears. My heart is aching for so many reasons right now. I sit in disbelief that anybody could   have such hatred and lack of remorse with such cruel intentions to deliberately wound and kill so many innocent people. What kind of cruel world are we living in?

I try to imaging what this would be like to be apart of this horrific and chaotic day, and I just can't. What hurts my heart, is that today should have been such a joyous and happy day. A holiday for certain. And this day; Patriot's day, Boston Marathon Day, is tainted by these senseless acts of terrorism.

I sit back and reflect upon my own experiences of running races. My very first half marathon in Denver, years ago. The overwhelming and immense emotions of joy, pride, and accomplishment that is felt as a runner crossing the finish line; being cheered on by thousands of people, almost every single one of them a stranger yet a kindred friend who is genuinely happy to cheer you on and see you finish! And then to my first marathon in Chicago with almost 50 thousand runners. It was unbelievable that along every meter of that 26.2 mile stretch of city streets, the mass amount of spectators there to witness such a grand event, and cheer you from streets and balcony's, and encourage you to keep on as your body is feeling broken and beaten, and when you feel like you just can run another step, you hear a stranger in the crowd scream your name and cheer you on and re-assure you that you can do it! And to cross that sought after finish line and receive your medal, and know that you can do anything you set your mind to, and celebrate your victory with half a million of your closest friends. It is simply indescribable. And I think about those runners that have worked so hard & disciplined themselves for so many months, to  qualify for Boston and reach the pinnacle of races to experience that exhilaration and moment of maddening euphoria. And I imagine that all being taken away today.

I am not an elite runner, and I never will be. But I am a runner and I am a human, and I feel the heartache in my chest and the sickness in my gut in the aftermath of today. I pray that these senseless acts of hate will end. I know that the witnesses and the participants are forever changed after today, but I pray that it will not allow these terrorists to take away what we as American's have fought so hard to obtain. Let's not let them take away our freedom. Let's not let our fear make us prisoners. I pray for a better day tomorrow.