Running is Freedom - Boston Reaction

I was not in Boston during the bombings nor have I ever run the Boston Marathon let alone any marathon.  I received a text message from a great friend Tom Farrell asking if I had seen what was happening in Boston.  I was confused, because we had already seen the elites finish and Tom and I had discussed the result.  So what else could be happening?  He told me to get on Twitter as there was word of an explosion.  Upon first hearing the news yesterday my heart immediately sank and my stomach began to ache. 

 I immediately saw numerous tweets about finish line explosions as I began my search only minutes after the explosions took place.  Details were few and facts were fragmented at best, but social media offered a window into the disaster.  At this point I was upset but all I had seen were words.  The pictures that I found thereafter really changed the perspective.  Without going into much detail I began to find pictures that presented a clear view of how serious this was.  It looked like a war zone.  Smoke, shrapnel, blood, and people with various injuries looking confused.  These were normal people just like you and I who were there cheering on their friends, families, and complete strangers as they completed a monumental task.  An instant later, they were fighting for their lives.  There were some amazing instances shown via video as people (officers, volunteers, and runners) immediately ran towards the incident and began helping however they could.  These people had no regard for their own lives and they heroically charged in simply because they wanted to help.  In a low point for humanity, the way these people acted show us that even when evil is present the good will still press on.  

I had several friends and some people very dear to me at the marathon.  I was nervous for their safety and after a period of trying to get a hold of everyone in one way or another all were accounted for.  So despite the initial fear for my friends my feelings passed to disgust and anger.  Why would someone do this?  How could someone do this?  This was an attack on running, one of the purest forms of freedom we know.  It was also an attack on a beautiful aspect of the sport in that anyone can access the finish area.  Anyone can relish in the joy of a runner's triumph.  Anyone can be there!  On any given weekend my friends, my family, my wife to be, any handful of people I know are at these events.  This could happen at any event to any one of them!  As you can see this anger led back to fear.  Fear for the ones I care about and realizing how easily it could have been any of us.  Trying to make sense of it just left me confused, but after a bit I began to see some clarity.

I, Danny Stults have never had much desire to run a marathon but yesterday afternoon I made the decision to run Boston 2014.  Running is a freedom that we can't let fear take from us. 

We will press on, we will continue to run, and we will also never forget the tragedy that took place yesterday.  We honor those people who were killed/injured and their families by enduring.  We cannot let fear dictate our lives.  I plan on being at the starting line next year.  The most difficult part may be getting into the race as this attack has created such an outpouring of desire to be a part of it.  We will run to remember but also to show that they can't stop us.  See you in Boston.

Thanks for reading and now more than ever Run Steady.