My feet hurt. And I have some cramps. Despite all that, I still feel amazing.
Yesterday I took part in my first Pat’s Run in Tempe, Arizona. For those who don’t know, the Pat in Pat’s Run is Pat Tillman, the former NFL football player, who, inspired by the events of 9/11, selflessly left the game and the big money — trading it all for a United States Army Uniform and the opportunity to fight for his country. He lost his life in that fight.
Certainly, Tillman himself — the way he lived his life, his principles — was a source of inspiration for someone like me (not a regular runner) to join the masses on a Saturday morning.
But what happened in Boston last week also got me off the couch.
In every year before this one, when I heard the phrase “Boston Marathon”, I thought ‘big race, lots of people’ and then I didn’t give it a second thought. It wasn’t a big deal to me.
It’s all different now.
I should tell you, my finishing time for Pat’s Run was … well — I don’t even want to tell you. But as they say, at least I did it.
As slow as I ran yesterday, I still feel like I qualify for Boston in 2014.
Maybe not to run.
Probably not to run.
But to be there.
To support and make next year at least one person stronger than this year. To prove that one insidious act of terrorism won’t keep people away. In fact, it might draw people closer. Just being there, for me, seems like something just as good as crossing the finish line.
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