At a loss

I had every intention of posting an Iron Girl recap today but I have to postpone it.  The events that transpired yesterday at the Boston Marathon has left me speechless.  I cannot believe something like this happened. And even more, that these types of events continue to happen.  It truly has me sick to my stomach and my mind going a mile a minute.

On my drive home from work, I was listening to sports radio (like usual).  I have to commend the guys at 98.7 The Fan.  They handled the situation in the most respectful manner.  They didn't just touch upon what happened and then continue on with their normal sports talk.  They abandoned their usual programming and provided continuous coverage.  Sometimes we just need to be in the moment.

It got me thinking about everything that's happened during my life.  There's been so much tragedy in my short 30 years.  I remember the Oklahoma City Bombing.  No one will ever forget 9/11 and where they were when they heard the news (I was in my dorm room at USF being woken up by a dorm mate banging on my door wanting to use my iron for his fatigues).  Virginia Tech Shooting.  Columbine.  The Colorado movie theater shooting.  Sandy Hook.  Now the Boston Marathon.  It all got to me before but now I have kids. That changes the game.  Thank goodness my kids are too young to understand what's happened.  I can't imagine how I would handle having to explain why someone would want to hurt innocent people.  I can't wrap my head around that for myself.  How am I supposed to explain it to an innocent child?

Will things get better for my children's generation?  Will they have to witness the same senseless tragedy that I have?  How can I protect them from the horrors in the world?  I know I can't shield them from everything but I pray that I can help them navigate through this scary world so they still see the good in people.  That they don't become jaded by society.  That they aren't afraid to live their lives to the fullest.

Truer words have never been spoken.  I pray my children have this same view and that I can be the example for them like Mr. Rogers's mother was for him.  She was a wise woman.

While I am by no means a good runner, I have fallen in love with the camaraderie and fanfare that goes along with the running community.  This community is one that inspires and supports one another.  I've experienced this is every race I've been in.  When I'm feeling like I can't take another step, there's a spectator or volunteer or fellow runner there to pick me up.  Whether it be a cheer, a "You can do it" or clever sign on the side of the road, or the 60 yr old runner who's out there on the course, it's that sense of inspiration, family, and support that pulls me through.  I can't begin to imagine what it was like for the runners, spectators, event staff, and volunteers yesterday. But I have seen that same sense of family and support from runners throughout the world.  The amount of prayers, love, and support being spread all over social media is amazing.  And it is in that place of love that we'll start to pick up the pieces and move on.  We will not forget what happened but we'll run faster, run longer, and run with more purpose in our step because of it.

Today I'm sporting my yellow and blue in honor of the victims and I know the rest of the running world is too