Really bummed about what happened at Boston

[Irish George]

sorry for the separate thread, but Im not into spinning any kind of agenda here. Just really saddened by the loss of one more piece of American innocence.

Now they are bombing road races?

Boston is basically the model, logistics-wise for the thousands of road races held across the country each weekend. What made it different was you had to qualify for it but if you failed to do so and wanted to run without a number you could...all that was asked was that you seeded yourself in a spot where you weren't going to be trampled by faster competitors. Those days are probably over now.

I qualified way back in 1982 and it is one of my few framed bib numbers. This was the era of Bill Rodgers and then ---as they called him in Bahston---Alberto Salazahh.

It's called the Boston Marathon, but its really the marathon of different towns west of the city. It starts in the quaint burg of Hopkinton and goes through such places as Wellesly, where the runners go through a narrow tunnel of screaming college girls, and Newton where the infamous Heartbreak Hill awaits. It's a point-to-point course, not a loop. The runners gather in a field in Hopkinton square before the starter's pistol goes off and basically congratulte each other for making it to the oldest and most famous road race of them all.

For a hack runner like myself it was the one opportunity to feel like I had achieved some athletic glory. The finish at the Prudential building meant a handshake and the traditional bowl of beef stew. Now that corporate sponsors are into the act I think you get a medal. But it was enough to say you ran Boston.

Also...Patriot's Day is a huge deal up there. The Red Sawx play a home game before the bulk of the runners hit the finish area and it is basically one big party.

It doesn't take much courage to place a bomb on a sidewalk and take the lives of innocents.

OK ...that's all I got right now.

SUCKS.

[broadstreetparade]

Well put IG

Nice to read a heartfelt post without the agenda.

As you said it just flat out sucks. I was in 7th grade when the 9/11 attacks occurred so all I've known for my adult life is the "post 9/11 era". I think this is just going to be the world we are going to live in from here on out.

It really is a shame.

Thanks again for this post.

[Irish George]

no, thank you

now you're going to see heightened security at all the big races. The folks in London are shitting their pants...the London Marathon this weekend is basically Europe's Bahston. A great race now threatened by some asshole with a pressure cooker and a sadistic mind.

[IronEagle]

sorry for the separate thread, but Im not into spinning any kind of agenda here. Just really saddened by the loss of one more piece of American innocence.

Now they are bombing road races?

Boston is basically the model, logistics-wise for the thousands of road races held across the country each weekend. What made it different was you had to qualify for it but if you failed to do so and wanted to run without a number you could...all that was asked was that you seeded yourself in a spot where you weren't going to be trampled by faster competitors. Those days are probably over now.

I qualified way back in 1982 and it is one of my few framed bib numbers. This was the era of Bill Rodgers and then ---as they called him in Bahston---Alberto Salazahh.

It's called the Boston Marathon, but its really the marathon of different towns west of the city. It starts in the quaint burg of Hopkinton and goes through such places as Wellesly, where the runners go through a narrow tunnel of screaming college girls, and Newton where the infamous Heartbreak Hill awaits. It's a point-to-point course, not a loop. The runners gather in a field in Hopkinton square before the starter's pistol goes off and basically congratulte each other for making it to the oldest and most famous road race of them all.

For a hack runner like myself it was the one opportunity to feel like I had achieved some athletic glory. The finish at the Prudential building meant a handshake and the traditional bowl of beef stew. Now that corporate sponsors are into the act I think you get a medal. But it was enough to say you ran Boston.

Also...Patriot's Day is a huge deal up there. The Red Sawx play a home game before the bulk of the runners hit the finish area and it is basically one big party.

It doesn't take much courage to place a bomb on a sidewalk and take the lives of innocents.

OK ...that's all I got right now.

SUCKS.

When "they" started killing first graders with assault weapons it was pretty obvious to me that this society is f*cked. I don't know who "they" are but there are a lot of f*cked up people in the world.

I could say move some place else to avoid it but that is no solution. This sort of thing has happened all over the world.

[Irish George]

youre right

and I certainly dont mean to imply this incident was any more or less heinous.

I probably wont be leaving the U.S. or even my beloved South Jersey Shore in this lifetime...but it certainly is a sad state we are in humanity-wise these days.

Just majorly fucked up at every level.

[slag]

As fucked up as this is ... and there's no denying it ... anarchists were exploding bombs in Boston (and elsewhere) around the time of the Russian Revolution/WW I.

The world actually hasn't changed all that much ... just different groups of murderous shitbags.

[IronEagle]

As fucked up as this is ... and there's no denying it ... anarchists were exploding bombs in Boston (and elsewhere) around the time of the Russian Revolution/WW I.

The world actually hasn't changed all that much ... just different groups of murderous shitbags.

I agree. But the bomb tech has improved somewhat.

[AthensEagle]

I've been thinking about this a lot. What about bag checks now? The only events that get more folks carrying backpacks around are boy scout hikes. I don't question caution, but did this douchebag(s) just add a level of TSA to all of our big races.

I guess we'll see at the Broad Street Run.

[Riccardo]

yeah the wife already threw a "no more mudders" at me

partially in jest but still...

[Irish George]

was re-thinking decision to run sans number

I've been thinking about this a lot. What about bag checks now? The only events that get more folks carrying backpacks around are boy scout hikes. I don't question caution, but did this douchebag(s) just add a level of TSA to all of our big races.

I guess we'll see at the Broad Street Run.

I look suspicious under normal circumstances.

[TerpEagle]

I've been thinking about this a lot. What about bag checks now? The only events that get more folks carrying backpacks around are boy scout hikes. I don't question caution, but did this douchebag(s) just add a level of TSA to all of our big races.

I guess we'll see at the Broad Street Run.

How do you bag check 26 miles of public road? I suppose you can have heightened security at the start and finish where large groups may gather but there is always going to be some risk for events like this.

[JuTMSY4]

It's a shame. I lived in Boston for almost 8 years - I've had a few drinks and enjoyed the marathon and I've biked a rough estimate of the course a few times.

It sickens me. I'm disgusted that the marathon won't be the same because when I was in college, it was a huge deal and completely new to me. When I graduated and started working, I always had to work patriots day (flying home on Good Friday was a bigger priority for me), but the mood in the office was always high and just traveling through copley square was fun.

Fortunately, I've reached out to many of my colleagues and friends and they are all fine. One friend was at the fairmont copley plaza (2 blocks away) volunteering and admitted it was probably the scariest moment in her life.

Still - I spent my formative years there and became a professional there. I may disagree with them frequently, but they're good people.

[JuTMSY4]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/20...eir_medal.html

Did you hear this one? It's a crusher (in a good way)