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Paris Marathon 2013
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Love that TP, thank you. Especially this bit:
It has been said in many places this morning, but if terrorists are trying to crush the human spirit – marathon runners were the wrong group to target. They will not scare us, they will not stop us, they will not chase away our Boston dreams. Do your run today with those we lost and those who were harmed yesterday in your thoughts. I am meeting some friends after work for a few miles and we will run to honour them and their families.
Spot on Terry.
We can't not run. We can't not do things. We can't not go places.
We can't not live.
Because that's the goal.
As frightening as it is, as much it hurts right now, as much as we are angry - we must continue to seek goodness, togetherness, joy and celebration.
And how better can we do that than by running and supporting runners.
Good on you Terry! If I were closer, I'd get out there too.
+1
lovely words
If I were still in UK, I'd be supporting on the side of the London Roads too, but I will be sat in front of the telly, then I'll go on out and do my run
Terry & Maus, that gave me goose bumps; well said.
Hello people,
I've been absent from the list, but with good reason. I've moved. From France to the US. Finally getting settled and sending out resumes. The news of Boston is on the TV 24/7 here. Not sure if it is like that overseas, but here when a story is big, it's unavoidable. I lived in Thailand for many many years and got very used to living in my 'news bubble'. I got my news from the internet and that was it. Log on, read what I need/want to know, then log off. Otherwise you spend your life caught up in dramas, many of which you are not able to do anything about. I haven't even seen any of the graphic images people are talking about, nor do I want to.
This thing makes me angry on so many levels. I was about to type out my thoughts, but it pretty much echoed what was in the link tht was posted. A nice and well written blog post. Thanks for posting TP.
I agree with the post that marathon runners are resilient. I just hope race promoters are too. I fear that races may end up being more about securing the event than the event itself. At least in the US anyway, we have a tendancy to implement over-the-top security measures.
-Rick
Is it child friendly..? I'll be in that there London town on Saturday to take my little boy to see my old band, The Musical Box, at Shepherds Bush Empire. We could join you for dinner if that would be ok..?
bring 'im DV - after all it is a 6 oclock booking, and its the night before a race, it's not like we'll be racking them up on table before desert! Of course, i'm not the chief arranger, RR is the boss of this booking.
+2,341 - I have a lot of goose bumps
Hope you had a happy move back Rick. Over the top security responses are pretty much the end goal of these terrorist activities. The visible additional security reminds you of the potential power of the terrorists to cause harm, they multiply fear which is totally disproportionate to the damage they can do. If you removed all seciurity and let them set off as many bombs as they wanted, it wouldn't even come close to the death tht is caused by car accidents (a risk we all freely accept).
I admire the great example of Londoners on the 8th July, the day after the two underground trains and the bus were blown up. Everything was right back to normal the next day. Hitler had sent so many planes and rockets dropping explosive on the city, the Irish Republican terrorists had tried blowing things up in the 70s and 80s. In the end, a culture arose that said, "Screw you, we're getting on with our lives and your fear strategy is having no effect, so you lose!"
And overcoming fear is something that marathoners practice I believe...
Correct CB.
Mausy - I'm only speculating here but the FBI seem to have been completely caught out (which isn't a criticism) and they're being guarded about their thoughts which suggests it's something out of left field - for example a lone bomber who isn't on their radar - and Patriot's Day was the date of the Oklahoma bombings. If it were someone of that ilk the target is odd though as their beef is with the federal authorities. Whoever it proves to be I suspect it's about the date and not the event per se.
Us runners are indeed strong, and defiant. I notice my fundraising for VLM got a boost today with several donations for my charity 'Get Kids Going' which provides wheelchairs for young disabled athletes. I hope all the charities will get a boost for London as people show their support for the runners who are not put off from doing the thing they love.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GregoryPenn
TP - love that post you shared with us from rwr. Wish I could express myself so beautifully.
On a lighter note I bumped into an old friend at lunch time.
Colin.
From Lhanbryde
Did you faint?
Dear Colin - is it acceptable to tell stories of your own prowess or should one keep silent about one's achievements in the fainting department? It's not for me - it's for a friend who wants to know the proper etiquette. They don't teach that sort of thing in Yorkshire you see.
+1
I grew up in a culture of fear. The effect of terroism is to alter normality. Think of the way we view planes, as opposed to how we did, pre-9/11. Rick is clearly onto something when he says there will be a(n over)reaction but hopefully not for long. The best reaction will be seeing the response in London.
Good on the VLM organisers for kicking on in tribute to the dead and wounded.
Iain
You lot can turn it into a den of vice in under 2 minutes I reckon....
ok, great... then please count us in...
Sorry, I was confusing Spaghetti House with Colin from Lhanbryde
Clearly Colin has never quite got over you TP...
Dinner sorted
. We've only got one actual VLM runner coming along, so I hope you feel well supported Eggy! Although I will need to carb up for a hard day's blowing up balloons and pelting runners with jelly babies at Mudchute.
Anyone who is coming along to watch and would like to join the RW crew at Mudchute (it's around mile 17, accessible by a short ride on the DLR (no, not that one, the Docklands Light Railway)) would be very welcome.
I'm trying to resist the urge to say anything at all about short rides on DLR. Honest.
RR - Brilliant. Looking forward to it. Not the short rides on DLR, done that a few times!!
I was driving home from work a little while ago, and heard the story of the 8 year old who died in Boston yesterday. Along with his mother and sister, they gathered just before the finish to see their Dad finish. When he saw them, he ran over to them (before finishing) and the 8 year old reached over the barrier and gave him a hug. His dad then turned and set off for the finish - about 30 seconds later the bomb exploded, killing the son and gravely wounding the mother and sister.
The reporter relaying these events was sobbing on the radio - as was I.
I've often wondered what the supporters who come out to cheer us on get out of the whole thing? They stand around for hours for a brief glimpse. And then it hit me. They do it for us, not for themselves. They know their support is what rallies us when we are flagging. They know that their presence is what we keenly look out for when we approach a meeting spot. And even the unknown supporter that shouts our name or high fives us as we pass knows that he or she has added to our experience in a very positive way. When investigating a new race one of the first questions is always "what is the crowd support like?" Indeed, we discussed it here just a week or so ago.
Yesterday it was these people that bore the physical brunt of this disaster. Not the runners.
Even though I usually try acknowledge those that yell out at me with a wave or a nod, I think it important that each and every one of them that pushes me on be greeted in some way - and that's something to strive for.
I always try to acknowledge supporters but it sometimes gets hard towards the end.
At one point, in Paris, my legs had cramped so I stopped and rubbed them. When I started running again a French gent pointed at me and gave me a thumbs up. Such a little thing much it meant so much to me.