Is it really October 9th already? It doesn't seem possible that almost 6 months have passed since the Boston Marathon and the dreadful, horrible events of that fateful day. So much has happened since that day. I, personally, have tried to follow all the stories, news updates and Facebook postings regarding some of the victims from that day. Their stories of courage and perseverance have humbled me beyond belief. I'm sure all of us, at one point or another, have seen the tremendous strides victims like Jeff Bauman, the Norden brother's Paul & JP and Celeste & Sydney Corcoran have made. I'm not sure how many of you were even aware of this, but Celeste's sister Carmen was a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team this past season. Celeste, her husband & daughter Sydney were all at the finish line waiting for Carmen. Celeste lost both of her legs while Sydney came very close to losing one of her legs, had it not been for the quick response of one of the many first responders who jumped into action shortly after the bombs were detonated. Just a few days ago, I saw Celeste on the news again, making more progress in her recovery. She, like most of the victims who lost limbs, have been fitted with prosthetics and are making huge strides towards their new normal. Celeste has vowed to join Carmen at next year's Boston Marathon, at the exact same spot where Carmen was stopped this year, and complete the race that Carmen wasn't able to complete this year. "Boston Strong" has been and continues to be alive and well since the days shortly after the bombings. In all honesty, pretty much not one single day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the events of April 15th. I also stop and think about the 4 individuals that lost their lives that day: Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Martin Richard & M.I.T. Officer Sean Collier.
The events of this year's Boston Marathon impacted so many people, how could it not? The running community also was heavily impacted by the events of that day. Never before, in all the year's of marathon events, had something like this every happened. While I personally, up until this past Boston Marathon, had run in and completed 7 marathons, there were many first timers who didn't get the opportunity to finish the marathon. Roughly 5,700 runners were stopped somewhere along the course and were unable to finish the marathon this year. Marathons are held all over the country and around the world pretty regularly. Shortly after the events of April 15th, race directors and organizers from other marathons were reaching out to people who ran, but didn't finish Boston, inviting them to run in their marathons, giving them the opportunity to finish in their cities what we weren't able to finish in Boston. I was lucky enough to be one of 38 people invited on an all expenses paid trip to Pittsburgh to run the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 5th, just 20 days after the Boston Marathon. What an amazing opportunity it was for me to travel to Pittsburgh with fellow Boston Marathon non-finishers and represent Boston. We were treated like royalty in every sense of the word. Announcements were made on board the flights and people would clap for us. We had a private pasta party the night before the marathon at the Roberto Clemente Sports Museum. After dinner, I was one of 4 people asked to speak to the group about how the events of that fateful day impacted me and what it meant to me to be able to participate in the Pittsburgh Marathon the next morning. Each person shared a very moving and personal story and it really brought us closer as a group. There's so much more I could say about the trip, but instead I'll show a few pictures highlighting some of the experiences of that amazing 36 hours in Pittsburgh.
Welcome sign at one of the hotels
A zillion signatures on a wall-sized banner for Boston
Each one of us received all these running supplies and gear
Each us of was mailed a bottle of wine "Boston Strong"
The back of my Dana-Farber singlet
4 hours and 45 minutes......Runner of Steel
On May 26th, a 1.2 mile run was held for anyone who didn't get the chance to cross the finish line on April 15th. It started at mile 25.2 in Copley Square and ended, rightly so, at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Boylston Street. I would say there were roughly 1000 or so people that lined up that rainy, cold and damp Saturday morning to participate. There were a few notable speakers, a moment of silence, and then a choir of students from the school that victim Martin Richard attended, sang God Bless America. The run was organized in conjunction with One Run, a charity that started shortly after the bombings, to help the victims of the bombings. Below are some pictures from that day:
At the start with my fellow DFMC'ers!!!
About to cross the finish line (I'm to the left, next to my friend Alicia who's on my left in white)
Finishing "Boston Strong"
F U N D R A I S I N G G R A N D T O T A L S
If you will recall from my fundraising letter, my personal goal was to raise $7,000 and the team goal, which I did not mention, was to raise $4.6 million for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovation Basic Cancer Research. Well, I am very pleased to announce that my personal goal AND the team goals, were not only met, but surpassed. Our fundraising total this year came to $8,892.00, that's almost $2,000 dollars more than I had anticipated. Collectively, in the 5 year's that I have fundraised for Dana-Farber, you have generously donated $31,209 !!!!!! Never, in my wildest dreams, could I have envisioned raising this kind of money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And as for the grand total for the team as a whole......well, here is the check presented to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute:
That's right.....$4,743,203.16 !!!!!!!!!!
Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge 2014
As I mentioned in my blog entry shortly after this year's Boston Marathon, there was no doubt that I wouldn't return to run the Boston Marathon in 2014 as a member of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge Team. Not because I need to finish the 26.2 miles or because I want a finisher's medal. As you can see from this blog entry, I was fortunate enough to participate and finish the Pittsburgh Marathon as well as run the last mile of the Boston Marathon back in May. I received notification a few weeks ago that I am a member of the 2014 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team. I choose to participate again because I believe that goodness always wins over evil and taking action is better than not taking action. With the passing of time since April 15th, I continually realize how very lucky I am to be healthy enough to train for and run another Boston Marathon. It truly is an honor and a gift to be in this position, but it's a position I couldn't do without your help and support.
I will honor those who were not as lucky by letting this experience soften my heart rather than harden it. I will move from the feeling of being touched by terror to the memory of being touched by tenderness by so many who, with courage and compassion, showed the best of our humanity. I too will do my part to show the best of humanity in all that I do. I will also be running again next year in honor and memory of Matty Dubuc.
Kerry & I, and many of my fellow DFMC teammates will see you again in 2014
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Boston Strong !!!
With gratitude, appreciation and many, many, many inspired miles !!!!
