A Heavy Heart

I had originally planned on blogging today about ways to be active with family and friends, along with some witty comments about how playing two-hand-touch football for a few hours in the park will make you feel so young at the time, and so old when the soreness sets in the next day, but it is an important day in sports. Today is a landmark day for both good and bad.

It is Jackie Robinson day. This marks the 66th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's first major league game. I was raised by a dad who loved sports, but the sports bond that he and I shared was baseball. Kansas City Royals Baseball. I love my boys in blue. Being as I grew up with the Kansas City baseball, my dad also taught me about the Monarchs, Jackie Robinson, and Buck O'Neil. Jackie Robinson was stepping out on the field and standing up to the senseless hatred that was segregation, and he did so long before the Montgomery Bus Boycott or Dr. King's moving speeches and rallies. He was the lone target of the hate, but a shinning light as to how we should all do what is right and live our best lives. If you want to learn more about Jackie Robinson, there are two movies that have been made to chronicle his rocky debut in MLB, and one of them, "42" is currently in theaters. This marks the good landmark day in sports.

Today is also a landmark day in sports that will be remembered as a terrible day. It was a landmark day for all the wrong reasons. A coward decided to make his mark on innocent people at the Boston Marathon. I had been pumped all day to find out who would win the race, and who would win out in the Flanagan vs. Goucher showdown. The first report I heard about the race was of the terrible incident that took place instead of finishing times and winners. I was shocked, then sickened, then angered, and now the cycle just keeps repeating itself. I recently posted that running makes sense of the senseless by giving the runner a chance to sort through the nagging thoughts during a run, but this does not make sense.

The only thing I can do to feel better is to pray for the victims and their families. I have also found myself listing over and over the reasons why I run, and how empty I would feel if I could never run again. I know many of the injured were spectators, but that doesn't make the thought any less horrifying. I was originally dreading my run tomorrow morning because it is supposed to rain, but I will be running tomorrow morning rain or shine, and I will hold in my thoughts the victims, our country, and all the reasons listed below that keep me running.

I RUN

because I can.

to feel the sun on my back and the wind in my face.

to be a healthier person.

to feel like a kid again.

because it opens my eyes to who I am, not who others think I should be.

for an extra scoop of ice cream.

for pizza.

to donate to charities and causes I believe in, while also donating to myself.

because endorphins rock.

because it's cheaper than therapy.

to remind myself that I am worth the work it takes.

to fit into skinny jeans.

to admire the beauty of nature.

because it pushes me to be more than I think I can be.

to soul search.

for race shirts and bling.

to connect with family and friends.

because it is impossible to know which run will be the last run of my life.

because I can.