Everyone who has ever run a long distance race knows about the Boston Marathon, and it's strict time requirements for qualification. I wouldn't have come close to qualifying for Boston - my best marathon being 3.43 in Dublin, but at one point, when training and fitness was going well, it was a target that I felt I could aim for.
Running a marathon is more for the soul than for the body. If truth be told, marathons attack the body - tearing your muscles and limbs as you pound 26 miles of pavement in 3, 4, or 5 hours. But for the many thousands who take to the streets for a marathon the body takes second place to the spiritual task that lies ahead - to achieve something beyond the norm. To call on reserves of strength beyond your normal bodily ability. To push yourself to the limit. Whether you wish to achieve a sub 3 hour run, complete your 100th marathon or simply cross the finish line for the very first time, your aim is always to raise the spirit.
And every runner will tell you that what really 'makes' a marathon special, are those very special people who come to cheer on their loved ones, and who are so buoyed up by the uplifting atmosphere that they take the time to cheer you and every other runner on as well. Most runners will write their first name on a bib in order to hear the crowd cheer: 'Go for it John', 'You can do it Rachel', 'Almost their Brendan, keep going'. It is the highest level of human decency and an act of spiritual kindness, whether knowingly made or not.
What happened in Boston on the weekend was an attack on the spirit, on joy and on human decency. God love all who were affected.
Great post! Completely agree with you: the main thing of a marathon is the friendly atmosphere along the track.
ReplyDeleteThose children were near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon: they were waiting for their parents who were running the long distance race. What a tragic thing!