I am still in Boston after what happened at the finish line of his marathon. I am not afraid. I went through various moods following the explosions but fear had a rather short space as we learned more details about the explosions.
The strongest feeling is disbelief and sadness. I am incredulous that one could even conceive of such a terrible and cowardly act. And I am sad for the city and its marathon, for the celebration that was ruined for everyone.
Those who are afraid die every day.
The city responded in a big way, and the authorities moved in with a large deployment of means and men. It’s not nice to see the army and police manning the city, but there’s something to be said for making me feel safe.
Instead, it is good to see the reaction of Boston residents. Those who sense that I ran the marathon on Monday ask me how I am, if I saw anything, and feel sorry for what happened with sincere sympathy. Good people.
It is good to see, in the city parks, that runners are not intimidated at all and in fact have united even more after Monday’s events. Solidarity initiatives such as the one launched by some Boston College students to run the last 5km all together so that those who had it snatched away by the bombers would finish the marathon.
And it’s nice to hear people asking me if I’m going to come back and do this marathon. I respond in the only possible way. Of course I will go back, as early as next year.
I’ll be back.
I come back to show that one should not be afraid of such acts. Because, as someone who, despite himself, has had to live with situations even more serious than this one for a long time said, “he who is afraid dies every day.”
I return not to give too much importance to the cowardice of such an act that does not deserve to be able to affect people’s lives. Marathon runners and non-marathon runners.
I am coming back for the marathon, which, minus the tragic events, would have been the best I have ever run, despite a less than optimal performance on my part. Which says a lot about how good this race is.
I come back for Boston and its good people to whom I want to be able to display the medal they give to those who finish the marathon. And I want to be able to walk around the city having people stop me and congratulate me on the marathon I just finished and ask me what time I crossed the finish line with. Because in Boston they ask you what time you did no how far you got.
That’s a lot of reasons. Choose one too and go out for a run that is the most beautiful thing you can do.
(Main image credits: ABCNEWS.com)