Boston - Distance Running magazine

OpinionBOSTONRunningstrongGuy Morse* remembers thetrauma of the Boston Marathonbombing and is heartened bywhat has happened since.It has been two months since that horrificday in April when the marathon, our cityand our sport was changed forever.I can still see the images and hear the sounds ofthat fateful day, which began as “MarathonMonday” always does, full of excitement, tensionand celebration.As an organizer of such a large event – or indeedany size of event – you no doubt understand thenervousness and excitement, as a full year’s workcomes to fruition, the presentation of themarathon given up to the care of so many otherswho collectively make up the team that haslabored along with you toward this common goal.That memory seems surreal at times: everyorganizer's worst nightmare. But it remains so real,with the tangible impact everywhere in Bostonand still on the minds of everyone who lives, worksor comes to visit our great city.While the physical and emotional injuries sufferedthat day have begun to heal for some, for thosehurt most the pain lingers, and will for years tocome.Yet I am struck, heartened really, at theoutpouring of support and offers of help that havecome from all areas of the world and all segmentsof the sporting community. My early fear thatrunning events will be adversely affected, will bemuted, that spectators will not come to watch andvolunteers will not show up, is not at all what hashappened. Incredibly, the outcome has been justthe opposite.Support for, and interest in, the Boston Marathonand all running events appears to be at an all-timehigh. Providing some level of satisfaction is thevery real fact that whatever the terrorists’objectives might have been, the opposite hascome true.Continued on page 41People leave messages ona large banner for thevictims of the BostonMarathon bombing, atthe race headquarters ofthe Salt Lake CityMarathon.Photo by GeorgeFrey/Getty ImagesDistance Running | 2013 Edition 3 39

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