Boston Marathon

Marathon Monday is supposed to be a fun day........

I could have been there.

I should have been there.

90 feet from the first bomb.

Right at the finish line.

I RSVP’d to an event, RIGHT THERE.

I can’t get my mind away from this.  I can’t help but think that “someone” was looking over me and made me change my mind and stay more local to my apartment.  I am not religious, nor do I believe in any higher power but this is just too much to process right now. 

A few specific things kept me away from that area and I am so thankful. 

1. I had texted my co-worker shortly after seeing our co-worker/friend Greg around mile 22 to see if he saw Greg and where he was watching at.  He was along the route, 3 miles away from the finish line, about a mile away from me. 2. A few of my guy friends over slept and were being lazy and decided not to attend the marathon.  It was them who I would have met down at the finish line3. I have been nursing a very minor leg injury, so I hadn’t run that morning, so decided some walking would have been good for me. And Finally…because I know how tough those last miles are, and I’d rather be cheering people on when they need people the most and not when their adrenaline has kicked in and they are right at the finish of it all. 

I ended up in Washington Square, along Beacon Street, in Brookline.  I was right past the 23 mile marker.  A mile marker I know and hate.  It was at that mile in Philly that I felt as though I was going to die..felt like I was never going to make it to the finish line..felt like I was going to cry.  The feeling of wanting to cry at that mile marker, on Monday, just 5 months later, was a totally different feeling.  Looking back at that now, I cannot imagine how I would feel if at that point, in the pain I was in, (it is approximately where I would have been when the bomb went off according to my Philly time) I was told that my city was under attack by bombs and I could not finish. 

I will always remember how I found out about 9/11.  I will always remember the confusion and panic of something that was happening to my state, 90 miles from where I was and that people in my Dad’s profession, and possibly my Dad were in such danger.  And while September 11^th was definitely a worse tragedy, this, the Boston Marathon Bombing, happened so much closer to home.  In MY city, while I was AT the event, watching MY friends participate, affecting people LIKE ME….RUNNERS..and their friends and family. 

I had just gotten to the bar and my two friends and I were at the bar waiting for a drink.  My friend Katie, had a friend in town, whose girlfriend was running the race.  He left us earlier in the day to go to the finish line, to wait for her.  As we were waiting, Katie looked at us, with an odd look on her face, and turned her phone around to us.  A text with: “A bomb went off”.  That’s all it said.  It was 2:54pm.   That’s all we read.  I think I said the words bomb about 3 times out loud and was just in panic of “get more information!”.  I immediately jumped onto twitter and was able to find a few tweets about the incident.  Obviously anyone who was close was not tweeting, but instead running or helping others.  I went and told a few friends and then went outside to tell a few others.  A couple of minutes later, everything went silent.  It was a strange feeling.  We looked up and noticed that the bar had turned their loudly playing music down and turned the TV on to watch the news coverage.  Everyone’s attention was no longer outside at the runners but was at the TV screens.  Seconds later, we were being told to get off the streets and that all local bars are being shut down.  We went inside to gather everyone and our thoughts.   That is when the calls and texts started.  My sister texted and luckily I was able to make a call home to let them know I am OK.  I barely remember this conversation but quickly got off to start trying to locate others.  But then..phones went dead.  Texts weren’t going thru, calls weren’t working.  I was getting messages asking if I were OK and was unable to respond.  I was unable to get thru to one of my best friends who was only half mile from it all and not knowing if this was all over, it scared me not to be able to reach her.  We were all trying to find people and people were trying to find us, and it was very scary.  The last two runners who I knew on the course, who everyone I was with was waiting for, still hadn’t passed.  Luckily, I spotted them and yelled to everyone that I saw them.  We dropped all of our emotions and thoughts on the bombing for a few seconds, to cheer them on as they continued to run.  As soon as they passed we all proceeded to the streets and made the walk home.  At this point, all of my immediate friends had been located.  There were a few friends of friends were had not been, and that was an uncomfortable feeling.  We walked the streets of Brookline, into Brighton.  It was so quiet.  We continued to cheer runners on..many who were on their phones and just in a shock.

The night continued by the side of friends, watching the news, speaking of this tragic event happening in our city, just miles from us and continuing to answer friends and family via calls, texts, messages and facebook. 

Now..here I am.  Just 48 hours after these events happened.  Sitting in my office, just 2.5 miles from it all.  Still trying to wrap my head around it.  Still trying to process it.  And so thankful that I was not in that area.  So thankful that all of my friends are OK.  Hoping that they catch this bastard and knowing that we, BOSTON, will move on.  We will remain strong and I WILL RUN ON.