Boston Marathon Perspective

The photos included were taken from my cell phone camera and not taken from the Internet.

We are over the 24-hour period after the bombings occurred at the 2013 Boston Marathon. It is sad to see the photos that are floating around and the stories of those who have been affected. It is eerie to think about why someone or people would attack an innocent race on a festive and commemorating day. People cheered for strangers as they ran 26.2 miles in from Hopkinton, MA. I remember standing on the side giving high-fives to U.S. soldiers and other runners who held out their hands at mile 25.5. The Red Sox game had just ended, people were laughing, cheering, walking, taking photos, texting, knowing that it was Marathon Monday.

Everyone around the area immediately looked toward Boylston Street, the site of the finish line when we heard a...BOOM!

..."What was that?"..."Were those pyrotechnics?"..."It is Patriot's Day. May be they are having a show." "That's weird."

BOOM!

It was not a show. The cop standing in front of me listened in on her radio. Then, she scampered across the road to her police partner while runners were slowly making their way toward the underpass where Massachusetts Avenue meets Commonwealth Avenue. When she came back over, someone asked, "What's going on?". She said, "They are trying to find out." In the meantime, roughly 30 cops on foot, in cars, on bikes, and on motorcycles zoomed down the other side of Commonwealth Avenue toward the scene.

It definitely was not a show now.

Someone in the vicinity mentioned that they were stopping the marathon. Runners started to pile up to a halt where Commonwealth Avenue goes under Massachusetts Avenue. People were diligently trying to find out the details on social media. In just a couple of minutes or less, the lines were jammed. It was difficult to get information. One of my high school classmates was in town to cheer his sister on, so we were trying to communicate back and forth. I attempted to notify other people who may be watching the race on television.





                       

                     Pedestrians and Runners at a halt on Commonwealth Avenue (mile 25.5)



 

Our area was relatively calm. It was just crowded. As I walked up the street toward Massachusetts Avenue, runners looked shocked, thirsty, cold, and tired. Some runners decided to rest on the sidewalk or steps of adjacent buildings. The scene became more crowded as more runners entered the area. (insert photo) These runners were most likely the ones who would have finished the marathon around 4:13 (four hours and 13 minutes and on). I believe the finish line clock read around 4:09 at the time of the first explosion.

While everyone slowly understood that two bombs went off, no one knew why this happened. Why? As the runners continued to approach the stopping point, a line of about six police SUVs made their way through the congested runners and sped down Commonwealth Avenue. I remembering seeing one ambulance speed down the other side of Commonwealth Avenue earlier, and it looked like the same ambulance made its way back down Commonwealth carrying someone inside.

A bomb squad wagon rolled through carrying some bomb professionals. Sirens were going off everywhere. I am convinced that if it weren't for the bravery and expertise of emergency medical personnel then more people would have died. The three closest hospitals are Children's, Brigham and Women's, and Beth Israel with Tufts Medical Center and Mass General being the next two in proximity.

Extreme seriousness.

What is normally a festive day and occasion was quickly turned into a war zone. The marathon will be forever changed. However, do not think that fewer people will run this race. More people may flock to run the Boston Marathon. Security will be different. Even the order of the day may be a little different. The spirit of the marathon will carry on the other hand.

#PeopleStrong,
Derek

Derek Arledge, CSCS            TEEM Performance Training            www.teempt.com