A Day to Run

Yesterday marked the official start of training for the 2013 season of See-Us Run Des Moines.  There was one coach, one community mentor, three teachers, and approximately 25 high-school students, many of whom were all new to the sport of running -- let alone marathon-training.

There were 30 people who came together after a long day of work or a long day of school to start something huge, something intense, something emotionally and physically trying.

And I cannot imagine a more fitting day to start.

After the tragedy that occurred at the Boston Marathon, I think we just needed to get out and run.  We needed to get out there and be thankful for the peace and the clarity and the tranquility that comes from a good run.  We needed to get out there and think of those whose lives have been forever affected.  We needed to get out there and pray for peace and for healing for our country and for our world -- for Boston and for so much more.

We just needed to get out there.

I am so proud of the newest See-Us Run Des Moines crew who ran -- maybe for the first time in their lives -- a half mile.  I know that all of these students, regardless of what obstacles they have in their lives, whatever doubts they have in their minds, will gain so much from simply running.

And what they gain from running, no one can take from them.

I have been asked whether Monday's events will make me think twice about running future races, and the answer is -- without a doubt -- no.  First, I refuse to live my life in fear; after all, if I took all of the nation's recent tragedies into account, I could not go to school, I could not go to the movies, I could not go to the mall, I could not go anywhere.

Second and most importantly, I refuse to focus on the evil in this world.  Rather, like so many people have said in the last couple of days, I vow to focus on the good -- because there is so much more of that in this world.

Get out there and run.  Run for Boston, run for peace, but most of all, run for you.