Beginners and Beyond

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I'll get around to writing a race report but not yet (Read 198 times)

Docket_Rocket


    From what I have heard, most of the injuries and the deaths were from spectators and not from the runners.  I'm sure runwell is OK.  Hope his family is OK as well.  Will try to locate him throughout the forums.

     

     

    I started the race at 10:20 am. plus a few minutes. Would have finished just before 2 pm, give or take. No one was waiting for me (my SIL was back at our condo on Beacon St.). So I quickly retrieved my yellow bag where the parked busses were and I walked home. I had time to fill the bath and was soaking in it when I heard the two blasts. My heart sank, because I had a terrible feeling the noise was not normal. The sirens that followed indicated that I was right, unfortunately.

     

    I have been trying to locate runwell, a forumite here on RA, whom I met at the village before the race. He finished in 4:06, I believe. If you do the math, I think it's cutting very close to the time of the explosions (not sure if he started in the second or third wave). But he did cross the finish line. I'd like to be reassured, though.

    Damaris

     

    As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

    Fundraising Page

    Toronto


    Seven Deadly Shins

      Please, lily.  I cannot take credit for that.  It's all your strength and determination, 100% of it.  Honestly, I was in awe of how well you were running it.  You were just powering up those hills like a beast.  It was difficult in the early miles because we had to cut through about 3,000 people running slower pace, but once we got to Wellesley, my god, you were just rolling.  Major congrats, despite all the sadness, and have a safe trip home.

       

      P.S. My quads and hammies are killing me too.

      MrNamtor


        what a great post!  You make the whole experience sound so amazing. Kissed girls and drank beers? I thought people were kidding when they said that's what you were doing Big grin

        MrNamtor


          Please, lily.  I cannot take credit for that.  It's all your strength and determination, 100% of it.  Honestly, I was in awe of how well you were running it.  You were just powering up those hills like a beast.  It was difficult in the early miles because we had to cut through about 3,000 people running slower pace, but once we got to Wellesley, my god, you were just rolling.  Major congrats, despite all the sadness, and have a safe trip home.

           

          P.S. My quads and hammies are killing me too.

           

          All you guys are such super heroes. What a great job everyone did!

          tinman11


            I was glad to see that LTH, Lily, Goo & Nevergiveup are all ok.   And all the others who I may not be as familiar with......

             

            I was tracking LTH (and he was moving faster than his predicted victory lap pace I think) and remember seeing someone else's posts on Lily's time (also, fast as usual).

             

            After getting the news, I saw the clock at the finish but I couldn't be sure where anyone was with wave starts, etc.  But I was especially concerned about Nevergiveup, knowing where she was positioned.

             

            It was nice to see all the posts with updates on each of you.

             

            I'm happy for each of your accomplishments yesterday but sorry for what you had to experience.

            MrNamtor


              You know, i lived in NYC during 911 and like many others I witnessed and experienced it first hand.

               

              My observation is that if there is anything good that comes from these types of horrific events, it is the strengthened appreciation we gain for the people and things in our lives that we love, and are willing to fight for and take risks for.  Your post really reflects this concept, LTH.

               

              I also think that the people who do this sort of thing, whether they are part of a political group or just lone crazy- but- intelligent wackos, are almost always deluded in thinking that their actions will gain them some type of sympathy and support from the general public, who they often believe is like-minded to them.

               

              I remember reading how disappointed John Wilkes Booth was when his killing of Lincoln was met with almost universal horror and condemnation, even among most southerners,  instead of the wide spread support he had expected.

               

              Supposedly Lee Harvey Oswald had also expected to become a local hero for killing a president he believed was deeply hated by his fellow Texans.

               

              TImothy McVeigh wrote something in his diary after implementing his attack about how now people will rise up against the "new world order" and commit similar acts of terror in imitation of his.

               

              But the fate of most of these terrorists is to either die hunted down with the whole world against them, or in a prison cell long after everyone has forgotten about them and their atrocious actions. Let's hope the person or people who perpetrated this act are caught and come to one of these fates.

              Goorun


                Great post Brad and MrNamtor too.

                Slow and steady never wins anything.

                Buelligan


                  I am moved to tears that you are all safe. I am devastated for those who weren't. And I have never been so proud to be a runner.


                  Mmmmm...beer

                    Well said Brad.  We won't let them win.  They messed with the wrong group of people if they thought that this would deter us.

                     

                    I can't wait to experience Boston.  Looking forward to your full report, and everyone else's, when you're ready.

                    -Dave

                    My running blog

                    Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

                    Brrrrrrr


                    Uffda

                      Well said Brad.

                      - Andrew

                      PragmaticRnnr


                      Fitness Jogger

                        I'm so glad you are all safe and you all ran so well.

                         

                        +1 to Brad!


                        delicate flower

                          Well said, LtH.  I don't think this incident is going to scare anyone off.  It seems to be having the opposite effect.  Runners (myself included) seem determined more now than ever to qualify for and run Boston.  And if the past is any indication, we can expect huge crowds next year.  Americans are not scared off very easily and tend to rally in times like this. 

                          <3


                          Dr. Cornsitter

                            Beautifully written and thoughtfully expressed. So happy to hear you're okay. You and Lily and Hilary (and many more) were my first thoughts after I located my family who were near the finish line. I can't wait to read your full report because it's important to celebrate your accomplishment even more because many others were unable to finish.

                             

                            God bless

                            Quote from BeachRunner3234 on 6/25/2013 at 8:20 PM:

                            So I'm currently sitting with a bag of frozen corn in my ass.

                              Well said, glad you are safe.

                              GC100k


                                Thankfully, this is a huge deal to us.  What I mean is that many places in the world, a bombing that kills 3 and maims hundreds is a common occurrence.

                                 

                                I was in Sri Lanka a few times in '88 and '89 when, in addition to the ongoing civil war, there was a Marxist group called the JVP who was killing and terrorizing people.  There were bodies burning on the side of the road (necklaced by the JVP) and floating in the canals (throats slit by the govt).  One night our hotel was shaken by a bomb blast when the JVP assassinated somebody.  I just googled to remember the details but there were so many killings and bombings in fall of '89 that I can't determine which one it was and it didn't kill enough people to make some lists.  Nobody made t-shirts or bracelets.

                                 

                                In April of 1995 I was living in the OKC area when the bombing there happened.  I wasn't near it and didn't lose anyone close. I gathered with some friends that evening.and they were talking about how this was undoubtedly a sign of the end of the world.  A friend who recently moved from South Africa and I just looked at each other.  I think there had just been deadly bombings in India and the Philippines that barely made the news.  But it happening close to home means it's the end of the world?

                                 

                                So I'm thankful that it's such a big deal for us.  I watched hours of coverage on Monday.  While out and about I checked cnn.com to see what the latest news was and their top story was "What Celebrities Tweeted About the Boston Tragedy".  What a silly, stupid, wonderful culture we have.

                                 

                                I'm thankful that we will figure out who did it.  It's likely (but not definitely) some nutso individual or a "group" that can fit in one car.  We will then each try to make it confirm our pre-existing political and social views and politicians will demagogue it.  We'll overreact and we'll have to get a cavity search before every 5k.  But we don't just accept it as normal.

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