Welcome to Getting Fit at Fifty

My name is Art Davis and I started running in 2007 to lose weight. Check out my before and after photos at the bottom of the page. I ran my first 5K and 10K in 2007 I went on to run my first half Marathon and full Marathon in 2008.























Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Boston Bombings

 

“How do you defeat terrorism? Don’t be terrorized.” ― Salman Rushdie

My condolences to the families of Martin Richard only 8 years old, Lingzi Lu a Boston University graduate student from China, Krystle Campbell age 29 and Officer Sean Collier. I cannot imagine the pain you must feel, to have lost your loved ones in such an absolutely senseless way. These are the pictures of terrorism:

martin-richard-8-year-old

Martin Richard

lingzi-lu

Lingzi Lu

krystal-campbell

Krystal Campbell

sean-collier

Officer Sean Collier

To those that were injured in the attack I hope for a speedy recovery. I pray that you can overcome the trauma that was so cruelly inflicted upon you.

I congratulate all the members of law enforcement who worked together to bring these thugs to justice. I applaud all the people who put their own lives on the line and jumped in to help the injured. I thank all of you who called in leads,  provided pictures and videos to law enforcement agencies.  You performed a valuable public service. David Henneberry, the man who’s boat was shot up during the apprehension of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, I sincerely do hope that you get a new boat.

I have been sitting in front of the TV following this story and am just absolutely stunned. My dream is to qualify for and run the Boston Marathon. Never before has an act of terrorism hit me that close. It has been suggested to me by some well meaning loved ones that I should give up on running the Boston Marathon. But I feel, to put the dream aside and say I cannot do this now, would be to let the terrorists win.  

What are your thoughts about the terrorist attack?

8 comments:

  1. Art, upon hearing the news from Boston I simply told myself, "We're better than this." Prayers have gone up for those involved and although we cannot change the events of the past week, to believe it's just a part of a rough time in our world isn't fair. Don't give up on your dream to run in Boston, just as none of us should ever think that senseless violence is common place. "We're better than this!"

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    1. Thanks Rose and you are correct "We are better than this!"

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  2. I agree with the Salman Rushdie quote. I live in Nashville and the Country Music Marathon/Half Marathon is next weekend. I'm registered for the half, but due to foot surgery I can not run it. After Boston, I decided to volunteer...at the finish line. I'm doing it to encourage the finishers and to honor the Boston Marathon.
    I hope you will continue to follow your dream of a BQ.

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    1. I ran the Nashville Country Music Marathon in 2011. It is a truly great race. But a hilly demanding course, you made a wise decision to volunteer. I have found myself pushing myself a little bit farther and a little bit faster. I do not start my "official" training until the end of May.

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  3. I've never wanted to run a marathon (long distance isn't really my thing), but I'm more motivated to volunteer at one now. I had a friend that was working the med tent at the finish line in Boston. I can't even imagine what she saw - but she's gearing up to qualify now. You can't break the will of a runner.

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  4. Volunteering would be a very good idea.
    I appreciate all the volunteers at the marathons that I run.

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  5. Art i could not have said things better than you have my friend. I only pray that those of us who run will find an even deeper and additional reason for doing what we do. We are after all a different kind of people who run for many different reasons. I cant tell you how many people shake their heads when i tell them how much i run. But i do it for the freedom. I do it for the love of it. I do it because on the road or in the gym i answere only to me. We are runners and we we stand with Boston. Bless you!

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    1. You are doing good AJ keep it up!
      Don't listen to the nay sayers it is so easy to get hung up on all the negativity.

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