Random Photo Memory: Here’s To All the Runners of the World

Though I’ve never been much of a “runner” myself, I’ve long admired those with the discipline, and the lofty aspiration to hone their physical containers (for I believe our bodies are but boxes to temporarily hold our everlasting spirits) to the precision of a marathon runner.

Nope.  Though I “came of age” at the height of the 1980’s “jogging” era in Eugene, Oregon – arguably then the Running Capital of the World – I was always too lazy (not to mention not keen on shin splints) to pursue a runner’s noble quest.

Even with such legends as Steve Prefontaine and Mary Decker as role models, alas my longest official run was a grand total of 5k – first in Denver in the early 80’s, and a few years later running the annual “Jingle Bell Run” in Seattle.

Nonetheless, yesterday’s horrific event in Boston left me utterly stunned, even 8,000 miles away here in Vietnam.  Still stupefied at my keyboard this morning, my heart goes out to the innocent victims and their families (both runners and spectators), and I can only offer a 30+ year old pic that I once snapped (at the Nike Olympic Trials?) when I was then going to school (with 2 young daughters in tow) in Eugene, as a small tribute to all the World’s runners.