Of trials and tragedy

     The past few weeks, heck, even the past few months have been very trying on my patience.  Lately, running has been a challenge due to some breathing issues.  Essentially I have been ignoring my symptoms, passing them off as allergies, when I knew for a fact that asthma had reared its annoying head again.  One of the Pastors at my church, who is an avid runner as well, joked that I was behaving like men do when they are sick.  Okay, I'll give him that, he was right!   But when I could no longer run, or even breathe comfortably on a regular basis, I finally had to break down and see a doctor.   I'm doing much better, now that I am treating the symptoms with an inhaler.  With any luck, systems will be fully restored soon.
     And then it hits me that I can recover.  It hits me that I can work through this to get back to regular running, and training.  There are those, sadly, that can not say the same due to some pretty cowardly acts in Boston.
    When you are runner, you almost feel like you are part of this fellowship.  I've noticed it often when I run at the park, and I come across another runner.  We give this knowing grin and nod of a head as if to encourage one another.  I've also come across this bond at work, where a lot of runners use our track, and we often discuss the joys and frustrations we all face.  We throw tips and ideas back and forth,  We encourage each other over this shared love of running.
    So when the bombs went off in Boston, a part of me hurt along with all those who were there that day.  Every story I heard about someone killed, or hurt in turn made me really appreciate this community we have.    In the aftermath, it just amazed me to see people come together to help those affected by the bombings. I was particularly touched by the tales of men and women who ran straight through the finish line, and to hospitals or blood banks to donate blood.  Basically, we acted like a family.  Which, to tell the truth, we are family.  We don't share common blood, heck we don't all know each other.  We just all love to run.
     But we can look past the fact that there are quite a few people that lost their ability to run that day, either to death or injury.  Sure, some may find ways to come back, but not all of them.  Some of them may find a new love or hobby, but not all of them.  In essence, the bombings took more than life or peace of mind....it took away the JOY of running.
    When your feet take to path and pavement, you can let go of everything.  You can go into your own world, and leave behind all the frustrations and worries you feel.  It is great sense of freedom.  But they nearly ruined it by making people afraid of losing life or limb to something that should bring happiness.   It saddens me to think that this sport that people once loved may now bring them pain or fear, when it should ease those emotions.
    And to think I was upset because I had a small issue breathing, something that is easily fixed with medication.  I appreciate my running even more now, and encourage others to do the same.  Acts of terror, which I think is good description for the Boston bombings, are not simply attacks on people, but on ideals.  This was very much the case with Boston.
   Still, they cowards that did this over looked an important fact.  I do not think they understand that they attacked a very stubborn population of people.  You see, runners have to fight through quite a lot. Our bodies are not exactly meant to run in the way we demand they do.  But we run anyway.  We push through injuries, aches and pains, physical limits, and so on. In other words, we seem to all enjoy breaking past obstacles.
      I used the word stubborn, but perhaps a better term would be driven.  We are a driven group of people.  I have to believe that the injured will find a way to come back.  I believe that those who were emotionally hurt will find solace again, if not in running, than in other means of finding peace.  And I believe the rest of us, who were only distant witnesses to the attacks on our brothers and sisters, will continue to encourage them in their recovery.  That is what families do!
     Nothing will stop us, be it a small thing like asthma or a tragedy like the bombings.  Runners, like any athlete, do not give up.  We may slow down, we may catch our breath, but we do not stop.


Kristina