While I’d be lying is I said I were anything but a recreational runner (and reluctant one) at best, there aren’t quite words to describe the events this week at the Boston Marathon.
Boulder is a community filled with avid athletes, professional competitors on many levels, and those of us who simply like to grunt in Facebook status updates in the weeks before a race day. The Bolder Boulder is both a local and national icon in the 10K race circuit. 2013 also marks my first year to participate in the race, though I’ve been in Colorado since late 2008.
My excuse? Don’t really have one. But I am glad to see that the organizers of the Bolder Boulder are taking increased security steps to ensure the safety of this year’s runners, spectators, and the whole of the Boulder community.
This week, we received a letter from race director Cliff Bosley (the Daily Camera wrote about this yesterday). Inside, we found assurances that at 40 days until the race, those in charge of our safety are taking extra precautions. They’re reaching out to other race planners throughout the country, putting heads together on safety precautions. As a race participant, I more than appreciated the letter.
It made me realize that the Bolder Boulder isn’t just an event — it’s an experience, and one made better by the people running it, as they remember it’s run by people. I’m quite sure those in Boston feel the same way.
We never thought we’d live in a world where shoes are threatening and an entire government agency would be created to protect us from those with ill intent. It’s also sad when I think: When did running a race with your friends — a race that’s in its 35th year — become a source of worry? But one of the reasons I do love Boulder is the people who make up our people. We’ll run our race on May 27, all thousands and thousands of us, and be grateful that our community was looking out for our community.
Thanks, Boulder, from Boulder. And we’re sending out some B2B love to you, Boston — for being resilient. Tenacious. Wicked smaht. The world watches this week with hopeful eyes, and the team out here at YourBoulder readies to run our own banner race with you in our hearts.
