Saturday, April 20, 2013

tri-age

Yep, I'm doing a sprint tri tomorrow.
Nerves? What nerves?
The past month has been a rollercoaster of abnormal mystery fatigue and health issues and running-related mental struggle and HK getaway, and the last week has just been...emotionally draining.

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Of course I'm still angry about Boston. Who attacks a marathon? Why? Seriously? These are some of the toughest people on earth. Who run 42.2 km for fun. And their families, loved ones, and random spectators - it's pretty much the definition of an international community coming together in joyous celebration. Every single runner I know has said the same thing - it's like your family being attacked.
I also lived in Boston for a year. My best friend from college lives there. And I ran down those streets and along the river. So when the bombs went off I thought with horror, I know where that is.
I was there for a science writing grad programme at MIT. When an MIT campus police officer was shot it was like seeing part of my family get hurt.
Boston is a small city, but a big community with a lot of backbone and pride. I have absolutely no doubt it will rally.

(And to the people going, 'X atrocity is so much worse than what happened in Boston and nobody cares' - quit being pious.
Yes, I agree that awful things happen all over the world, all the time. That's worth remembering.
But you can't quantify suffering. Nor should you assume nobody cares about all the other awful things going on - especially if you also live in a Western Anglophone bubble. Who is 'nobody'? The whole world is not focused solely on Boston (I am, here, in this specific instance, because I know and love the city and I. Am. A. Runner.) If your Internet speaks Arabic, bombings across Iraq and an earthquake in Iran and Pakistan were top of the news. If your Internet speaks Chinese, bird flu and an earthquake in Sichuan will be.)

This week can't be over soon enough.
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I don't have any more energy left over to be nervous.
I'm not racing that tri, just finishing it and then cheering the rest of my triathlon family on. If my competitive instinct bites and I catch and pass you on the run, so be it. If I straggle in last - so be it. 

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