829 Southdrive

829 Southdrive

A New Jersey state of mind



Monday, April 15, 2013

Two If By Land




Unfortunately for some, the word Patriot still means that there 
must be bloodshed.  I'm still thinking about the runner that I saw
who fell immediately after the first blast.  I wonder if he's okay.

Amazingly, the surrounding runners, although startled, for the most 
part kept running.  It was as if they were on auto-pilot, trying to
process the huge explosions and vibrations, and at the same time
their bodies kept plying on.  I even saw one female runner turn to
look behind her, and then carry on while glancing at her watch. 

12 comments:

  1. Running is such a pure and simple sport.

    How dare someone attack something so special.

    Runners won't let this stop them.

    Look for record numbers entered for Boston next year.

    I even looked up what my qualifying time would be. Yikes! That would be tough.

    But I will run in Boston, one way or the other.

    Just to prove that the crazy people who did this thing did not win.

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  2. And that runner who fell over after the first blast is OK.

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    Replies
    1. I think he got up and finished. (He looked almost as old as I am.)

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  3. I echo Tillerman's sentiments. Of course, any terrorist related death is just as tragic as another, but to attack this event is even more craven, twisted and sick - especially since it is the very antithesis of the simple-minded, reductionist, narcissistic and humanity-denying mindset of the terrorist.

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    Replies
    1. Good morning, KR. For what it's worth, I hope it's not an American. It would be small consolation.

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    2. Understand your feelings. But I also hope that this terrible tragedy doesn't generate a backlash against innocent people based on ethnic or national origins.

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  4. Let us all work hard to create a world in which people never even fleetingly consider doing an horrific act such as this.

    Namu amida butsu.

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  5. There are media stories this morning that address how the runners are in tunnel vision by the end of the race and their focus is simply to cross the finish line.

    A sick mind did that and I hope they are caught.

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    Replies
    1. You sure are in tunnel vision once you see that line. You are thinking of nothing else but getting across it.

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    2. Yes, there is some of that tunnel vision. I have done 2 marathons - many years ago - and I remember that. Having said that, there was an article interviewing a guy coming up to the finish line, who heard the first blast and thought it was a celebration of some kind, then heard the second one and saw people down, realized what was going on and he turned around and ran the other way - newly energized.

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