For the past 118 years, the Boston Marathon has been one of the most renowned sporting events in the world. It’s an event that tests someone’s true strength and willpower, their hearts and their athleticism, and their determination to finish. There are many marathons that run all over the globe, but the one run every year on Patriots’ Day, in the city that helped built and shape this great nation, is undoubtedly the most famous of them all.
People run the Marathon each year for a variety of reasons: to win, to set a new personal best, to raise money, for the memory of a loved one, or to simply say they did it. For some native Bostonians, or even those who have made Boston their adopted hometown, knowing that such an event takes place right in their own backyard may bring a sense of pride in their city, a new compassion for their town.
Last year, when tragedy at the finish line shook the city, a new sense of pride was felt. As a result, a new form of passion for the city was born and during that hectic week last April, Boston showed its true colors, sticking together and helping one another heal after witnessing such horrible events. Now, one year later, Boston once again shared that same pride on April 21. Spectators were out in full force, cheering louder and more passionately than ever before.
As for the runners, they gave every ounce of strength, determination and ability to run their best in honor of those who were killed or injured during last year’s marathon.
The spirit and essence of the marathon spread to campus, as numerous students and staff members either ran or showed up to support the runners. Jeff Carboni, a current student at UMass Boston who made the 118th running his third Boston Marathon, says running the Marathon a year after the tragic events is not only important to him, “but it is important to the whole city.”
The senior from Needham added that running the race “shows that we can overcome adversity. The running of this marathon symbolizes the strength of Boston and the people that live there.”
Eric Ashe, a native of Hanson and current Assistant Coach on the Beacon Cross Country and Track and Field teams, ran his first Boston Marathon in a very impressive 2:21:41.
“I was excited to represent my city and my club (The Boston Athletic Association) at this year’s marathon. Last year, the bombings overshadowed the spectacular performance at the historic event.”
For some students, just going to the Marathon and cheering for the runners illustrated the true meaning of resiliency and being able to get back up when knocked down.
“It’s great to be able to support the runners and show that the terrorists can’t win,” said senior Molly Mullen of Cambridge. “If people don’t go because they’re afraid, it almost seems as if they’re letting the terrorists win.”
Mike Tran, a Somerville native who is also a senior, echoed Mullen’s words about not letting terrorism get in the way of supporting the runners and the city.
“Despite what happened, we cannot be afraid to support the city because of a terrorist attack. Like David Ortiz said, ‘this is our [expletive] city.’”
While some may see the Boston Marathon as a symbolism of victory over terrorism, others may see it as a moment for the city to come together and show the strength of the community.
Chris Wellborn, a native of Scituate who graduated from UMass Boston a year ago, said, “The Boston Marathon means a lot to the city, so it’s good that the people are coming out and showing support for the runners and the city.”
Paul O’Reilly, a senior from Belmont, made a similar comment, saying, “I think it’s great community support and I think it makes our city that much stronger.”
On April 21, people from all over the world, especially the people of New England descended on the city to show support, pride, and compassion for the casualties of last year’s tragedy. It was be a fun day, a day of defiance and fearlessness.
Jeff Carboni summed it up best, for runners and spectators alike: “Running this marathon again just means that you have unfinished business. I wanted to honor those who were injured, lost their lives, and even the first responders. We run past marathons and marathons of the future. We ARE Boston Strong.”