A truly black day for running
As you may have noticed I haven't posted anything for a few weeks but
was ready to return with an update this week. While I try to keep this
blog as lighthearted as possible it wouldn't feel right to gloss over the terrible events that have occurred in
Boston.
At the time of writing it is clear that this was a deliberate act of terror but there is no evidence suggesting who carried out this horrific act. To be honest I don't care who it was or what the purpose was. All I care about are the people who have had what should have been the greatest day of their lives turned into a nightmare.
If you have ever taken part in an event - whether it's a sponsored walk, a 5k, a marathon or a triathlon- or have gone along to support a friend, family member or complete stranger then you know how amazing the atmosphere is. You see people of all shapes and sizes striving to reach a goal, which is probably why so many people feel inspired to take part in the event the following year or something similar. That goal may be beating a previous time, it may be for the personal accomplishment of competing the distance, it may be to honour a loved one or it may be to raise money for a charity close to your heart. It doesn't matter why you're there and it doesn't matter what the distance is, the sense of achievement is something that is impossible to describe and is individual to you.
Having watched friends take part in several events, as well as having done them myself, not only do you also get a feeling of pride for them but also for people you've never met before. As I've experienced myself having someone giving you encouragement (you don't know who they are and you're never going to find out) can be something you'll remember for the rest of your life. So it breaks my heart to think that all these spectators and competitors, regardless of whether they were near the atrocities, whether they had finished or still had a way to go, have had these emotions replaced with something a lot more sickening. And this is without mentioning the horrific life changing injuries so many people have suffered on a day that is all about hope, inspiration, achievement and bettering yourself.
It would be fair to say that getting into running and triathlon has changed my life. One of the main reasons for this is because of the feeling of community. It's a common bond I have with millions of people, with countless others getting involved everyday. As I've said, we come in all shapes and sizes, we do it for different reasons but we are bonded in an almost spiritual way. While any incident like this is always going to seem pointless I can't think of any strategic reasoning behind attacking my community. We're just normal people trying to be all we can be.
One detail that has particularly struck me is the report that one of those who died was an eight year old boy. He was there to see his Dad run the marathon. Apparently his mum and sister were also injured in one of the blasts. When I ran the Amsterdam marathon Mrs Trihard and Toddler Trihard decided to stay in the UK. On my return Toddler Trihard presented me with a picture of a stick man running with the words "Well done Daddy." While I was disappointed they weren't there to see me on the day that picture always brings a smile to my face and reminds me of what I achieved. I feel so sorry for this man who will always look back with completely contrasting emotions and will probably wish, unlike I did, that the family had stayed at home.
Anyway, my thoughts are not only with anyone that was caught up in the terrible events yesterday but all my brothers and sisters in the running community, whatever your shape, size or distance.
Love, hugs and kisses,
Mr Trihard
At the time of writing it is clear that this was a deliberate act of terror but there is no evidence suggesting who carried out this horrific act. To be honest I don't care who it was or what the purpose was. All I care about are the people who have had what should have been the greatest day of their lives turned into a nightmare.
If you have ever taken part in an event - whether it's a sponsored walk, a 5k, a marathon or a triathlon- or have gone along to support a friend, family member or complete stranger then you know how amazing the atmosphere is. You see people of all shapes and sizes striving to reach a goal, which is probably why so many people feel inspired to take part in the event the following year or something similar. That goal may be beating a previous time, it may be for the personal accomplishment of competing the distance, it may be to honour a loved one or it may be to raise money for a charity close to your heart. It doesn't matter why you're there and it doesn't matter what the distance is, the sense of achievement is something that is impossible to describe and is individual to you.
Having watched friends take part in several events, as well as having done them myself, not only do you also get a feeling of pride for them but also for people you've never met before. As I've experienced myself having someone giving you encouragement (you don't know who they are and you're never going to find out) can be something you'll remember for the rest of your life. So it breaks my heart to think that all these spectators and competitors, regardless of whether they were near the atrocities, whether they had finished or still had a way to go, have had these emotions replaced with something a lot more sickening. And this is without mentioning the horrific life changing injuries so many people have suffered on a day that is all about hope, inspiration, achievement and bettering yourself.
It would be fair to say that getting into running and triathlon has changed my life. One of the main reasons for this is because of the feeling of community. It's a common bond I have with millions of people, with countless others getting involved everyday. As I've said, we come in all shapes and sizes, we do it for different reasons but we are bonded in an almost spiritual way. While any incident like this is always going to seem pointless I can't think of any strategic reasoning behind attacking my community. We're just normal people trying to be all we can be.
One detail that has particularly struck me is the report that one of those who died was an eight year old boy. He was there to see his Dad run the marathon. Apparently his mum and sister were also injured in one of the blasts. When I ran the Amsterdam marathon Mrs Trihard and Toddler Trihard decided to stay in the UK. On my return Toddler Trihard presented me with a picture of a stick man running with the words "Well done Daddy." While I was disappointed they weren't there to see me on the day that picture always brings a smile to my face and reminds me of what I achieved. I feel so sorry for this man who will always look back with completely contrasting emotions and will probably wish, unlike I did, that the family had stayed at home.
Anyway, my thoughts are not only with anyone that was caught up in the terrible events yesterday but all my brothers and sisters in the running community, whatever your shape, size or distance.
Love, hugs and kisses,
Mr Trihard
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