What happened on Monday bothered me. It bothered everyone. When I turned on the TV at 2:10 Monday afternoon specifically looking for the results of the marathon my stomach sank as I learned the news of what had happened only 10 minutes ago. As a runner everything felt so unreal. And before long I realized what was bothering me the most. It wasn't that I'm now scared to run more marathons or the fact that such a great event now has a huge stain on it. It was the target. The spectators.
Marathons are perhaps the most boring sporting event to watch. But yet there are always thousands of people lining every course cheering on a group of determined individuals fighting with their bodies and minds for 26.2 miles. These people are the ones that make the sport. Without spectators there is hardly a point. A runner spends hours upon hours and miles upon miles out there on the road alone. But when you get to a race people are screaming at you to keep going, and so you do. Suddenly a long boring road is filled with adoring fans who have no clue who you even are. Screaming voices following you at every turn, "Let's go orange jersey! You've trained hard for this! Don't give up now!" and "If running a marathon was easy, they'd call it football!" Runners live and race for these dedicated fans, often times wearing our names so they know what to cheer.
Spectators do all sorts of crazy things to keep runners going. In my short marathon career I've seen people in chicken customs, Elvis impersonators, live bands in the someone's front yard, pep bands, mascots, dancers, and cheerleaders. Each and every one of them offering up a high five knowing full well the number of gross sweaty hands they will touch that day. While others stand there with hoses to cool off a runner in need. Somebody will be holding a dry erase board updating people on a game. Every now and then there's someone who's yelling at you to take a break and come do a shot with them, because to them, you're a hero. And if you're lucky, some cute girl will be trying to get one of the runners to kiss her. It's a dedication that cannot be found in any other sport. The dedication to show up at 7 am and stand their for hours to push a group of people punishing themselves to reach a goal few understand.
On Monday the spectators in Boston showed true humanity. There were more people running towards the blast than away from it. Pulling the rails apart, making room for injured, tearing their clothes to make tourniquets, and opening their homes later that night to complete strangers. These people awed and inspired me beyond words.
These spectators have given so much to the sport, and now some have even given their lives. By writing this I intend to honor the victims of Monday's attack and all spectators to road races. I have decided to race in honor of those victims at all my races this summer. (How I'm going to do that is still in the works). Regardless I want to give back to those that have given so much and always: Remember Boston.
If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon. ~Kathrine Switzer
