Reader, I Ran

The images were so shocking, so horrific my brain almost couldn’t comprehend what they were seeing.

In a sign of the age, the first anyone heard about it was on Twitter. As I scrambled round the news agencies, trying to find more information – BBC – Nothing, AP – Nothing, Reuters – Nothing. It must have been a good fifteen minutes before the breaking news tickers spring into life indicating that something was amiss. By this time the photos were everywhere. Horrible, ghastly images of blood splattered pavements and people lying injured in the immediate aftermath of the explosions.

The Twitter running community sprang into life, checking that friends and relatives were okay. One of the odd things about Twitter is that you get used to hearing about the day-to-day of people’s lives. Therefore, when something like this happens you genuinely care that everyone you ‘interact’ with is okay, even if you haven’t met in ‘real life’. Slowly but surely, runners were checking in as safe, with sighs of relief all round.

Over the next few hours the situation unfolded, the reports of casualties filtered through and the community took each other hand-in-hand to get through this.

How could they? How could anyone justify an act like that? As many have said, the finish line of a Marathon is a place of joy, celebration and most importantly love. Anyone who has completed 26.2 miles can attest to the fact that to run a marathon is to be surrounded by a bubble of love the whole time – be it fellow runners or spectators.

Someone tried to shatter that love yesterday, but they will not win. It is times like this that draw a community together, and you can be we will come together.

Being thousands of miles away, I thought to myself “What can I do to help?” so I did the only thing I could do. I carried on. Today, I put on my trainers, my calf guards, shorts and club vest and I ran. I ran a short 30min interval session before VLM on Sunday.

I ran three threshold intervals.

I ran for those three people who tragically lost their lives.

I ran for all those that sustained injuries

I ran for everyone who helped at the scene.

I ran for everyone who has ever tried.

Because we are runners.

Reader, I ran.

I didn’t know what else to do.