What This Year's Boston Marathon Means to Us

When I run, I like to listen to Podcasts of my favorite NPR programs as well as mystery stories.  They take my mind off of the miles I am running.  One of my favorite podcasts is NPR's "Only a Game".  On their web site, they describe their show as the program that "tells the stories behind the box scores, including the explosion of interest in women’s sports, competitive opportunities for the disabled and the business of sports — as well as who wins and who loses."  The show also includes commentary from its host Bill Littlefield. 

This week, Bill spoke about what he thought this year's Boston Marathon was all about.  I want to share what he said with you.

"The Boston Marathon, the event itself, shouldn’t have to be anything more than an ambitious run that’s been going on long enough to have accumulated many extraordinary performances and compelling stories.

The courage associated with the race shouldn’t have to involve anything more than the determination to train hard and the willingness to endure pain and risk failure for the glory of finishing.

For the tiny number of men and women capable of competing for prize money, the race is work they do for a living.

For the thousands of others putting one foot in front of the other for 26 miles, it is an exceptionally difficult athletic challenge, the reward for which is not necessarily tangible. Many of them run to raise money for a worthy cause, and thank their goodness for that. For others, running a marathon serves to mark a personal achievement: They’ve used preparation for the race as motivation to eat healthier, quit smoking or otherwise improve their lives. They run fueled by the satisfaction that comes with earned accomplishment, no matter their times.

But because of the terror and violence and death associated with last year’s race, people are talking about this year’s Boston Marathon not as merely a happy, noisy, communal event staged on a local spring holiday, but as an opportunity for redemption.

Of different challenging times, William Butler Yeats wrote, “the worst are full of passionate intensity.” He worried that “the best lack all conviction.”

Perhaps staging the largest, loudest Boston Marathon ever will be a way to say that “the best” can exercise “passionate intensity” in asserting that madness and murderous violence won’t prevail. In the face of the deadly crimes of the worst, wherever their bombs explode, we often fail to express or even feel that kind of conviction. Sometimes we don’t even notice.

But last April’s deadly madness happened close to home, not only for people in Boston, but for the international running community. Maybe a big, noisy Boston Marathon that includes the celebration of the recovery of those who were injured last year and the “passionate intensity” of those who have helped them and their families — and continue to help them — will matter even more than we can imagine now, before the event."

I know that I can exercise "passionate intensity” in this year's race.  The passion comes from both my love of running and the fact that I am running to support such a worthy cause.  I am almost certain it will be my last Boston Marathon.  I will continue to challenge myself and perhaps run a future marathon.  But this race will mean so much more than any other marathon or race I have run in the past.  It almost doesn't matter what my finishing time will be.  I know that this race I am not running just for myself or Dana Farber.  Instead I and my fellow runners are running for our sport and the City of Boston.  As I run that storied course, I will be thinking of those who lost their lives or were injured last year and feel pride to have just been a small part of the healing process the City of Boston has been living this past year.  And I will be proud to have been amongst the first marathon runners to make the statement that we will not be cowed by fear and take back the roads we all love so much.

Mar. 17 – 6.10 miles (55:57, 9:14 pace)

Mar. 18 – 9.50 miles (1:20:54, 8:34 pace) – Mile Repeats

Mar. 20 – 9.10 miles (01:12:48, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run

Mar. 21 – 6.10 miles (54:50, 8:59 pace)

Mar. 22 – 10.10 miles (1:27:56, 8:42 pace)

Mar. 23 – 10.40 miles (1:29:52, 8:42 pace)

Mar. 24 – 8.10 miles (1:18:38, 9:41 pace)

Mar. 25 – 9.50 miles (1:20:32, 8:29 pace) – Mile Repeats

Mar. 27 – 10.60 miles (1:25:26, 8:06 pace) – Tempo Run

Mar. 28 – 7.10 miles (1:02:59, 8:49 pace)

Mar. 29 – 17.20 miles (2:33:16, 8:57 pace)

Mar. 30 – 8.20 miles (1:14:14, 9:05 pace)

Mar. 31 – 6.10 miles (54:05, 8:49 pace)

Apr. 1 – 9.50 miles (1:20:37, 8:27 pace) – Mile Repeats

Apr. 3 – 10.20 miles (1:21:57, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run

Apr. 4 – 6.10 miles (56:52, 9:23 pace)

Apr. 5 – 10.10 miles (1:29:34, 8:49 pace)

Apr. 6 – 10.10 miles (1:38:59, 9:48 pace)

Apr. 7 – 8.10 miles (1:14:19, 9:14 pace)

Apr. 8 – 9.50 miles (1:20:44, 8:30 pace) – Mile Repeats

Apr. 10 – 10.10 miles (1:22:40, 8:13 pace) – Tempo Run

Apr. 11 – 6.10 miles (1:04:48, 8:49 pace)

Apr. 12 – 8.10 miles (1:10:21, 8:42 pace)

Apr. 13 – 8.10 miles (1:06:24, 8:12 pace)

Total Miles:  214.1 miles

2014 Total Miles:  743.9 miles