The Boston Marathon Bombings…What’s Next?

Bombs at the Boston Marathon.  Who would have ever imagined?

The Boston Marathon is the symbol of so much, and it’s terrifying that anyone could carry out the horrifying act of bombing this event, intentionally injuring so many.

The marathon is an amazing part of Boston, a holiday of sorts, something that residents celebrate each year, as part of their ‘Patriot’s Day’.

But it goes well beyond Boston.

This race is like the Super Bowl for runners, the big event that some people train for year-round, the race that goes on many ‘bucket lists’ way up there with the New York City Marathon.

And now, at least two people have died and dozens of others are injured, just for being present at the event.

It’s possible they were runners.  Maybe they were volunteers, or bystanders who were there to cheer the runners on as they put their bodies to the test.

You can bet they weren’t thinking about a bomb.

And now, as investigators search for those responsible, my thoughts turn from the injured people to the future of the race.  And not just the future of this race, but the future of all the other marathons that have become such a big part of our lives.

Having just finished a 1/2 marathon last month, and signed up for a small race this weekend, it worries me what may await me at the finish line of the next race.

Is it really worth the risk to be part of these events that gather such large crowds?

I don’t think I want to run in another any time soon.

But then, doesn’t that mean the bad guys win?

Doesn’t that mean they accomplish their goal of scaring us all?

I don’t know.

What I do know is my heart breaks for those who were directly impacted in this horrible event, whose loved ones died or were injured.

My heart hurts for my children who are growing up in this world where what always seemed unimaginable now seems all too common.