Today was the first time I cried

Saturday is our club's long run and today was no different, except it was.  Today we welcome back our friends who are now victims of terror and runners of one the of best road races in the world.  Some of the people were clearly doing better than others but none of us, those who ran Boston and those of us who were worried about them here, were ok. We were all shaken.

Before the run I gave a short interview to KTVU, one that I have given to a number of outlets over the past week.  In short we, the San Francisco Road Runners Club stands with all of Boston. We are proud of our runners and we will support our runners who qualify or raise money to run next year.  But the thing that I say with all honesty to every interviewer is that these little deranged bastards will not stop me from running. They will not keep our tight community away from the race or any American away from living our lives.

Today David Ortiz nailed it in his speech after the National Anthem and Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the FCC, agreed with his heart felt sentiment. Neil Diamond came on his own dime to sing Sweet Caroline during the Red Sox game.  And the San Francisco Road Runners ran through San Francisco. These little weak people will not stop us from living as free Americans. 

But what made this so real to me was the pain I saw in my friends' eyes today.  The tears they shed when talking about it or the look they gave you when asking how they were doing today.  

We talk a lot about being stronger than this attack. And we are stronger than this attack.  But that doesn't get rid of the pain and suffering.  It doesn't eliminate the feeling of vulnerability.  It doesn't change the images. It doesn't save the lives of those lost nor does it restore the lives forever altered.  

Now we must use this strength that we have seen in the faces of Boston's finest and ordinary citizens to move forward together.  But after a week like this, it was a huge relief to see my friends alive and as well as they can be. It became even more real today. No more TV images. These are my people and this was scary. But we are together, and we are strong. We won't forget but we will move on. Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But we will. We will keep running, together.