Thoughts on the Run

The impacts of Hurricane Sandy are still ongoing. Some have electricity again after more than a week while others are still trying to wrap their head around losing a home. Neighbors came to the aid of neighbors and heroes appeared from nowhere to help. Times of crisis unite humans like no other.

With the New York City Marathon tradition scheduled for a week after the hurricane hit, it would be assumed it would be a welcome breath of fresh air. Just as New Orleans sent out the message that they were open for business after Hurricane Katrina, one would think New York would do the same.

Instead, people united their anger towards the event. The New York City Marathon was cancelled 2 days before it was to take place.

As people couldn’t blame a person for losing their home, they lashed out at the next sequential event they could: the New York City Marathon. Some said that resources were needed elsewhere to assist with the clean-up. Others voiced that it was insensitive to hold an event after people have lost so much.

Aren’t people losing everyday? In NYC over 50,000 people (including over 20,000 children) are homeless, 1.6 million live in poverty, and the list goes on. Wouldn’t bringing more people to the city (and $340 million in business) help put eyes and feet on the situation?

I understand though, we are human and we act with emotion. Whether it be a war, changes at work, or loss, humans look to find someone or something to blame. We find a need to rationalize even what mother nature does. As we cannot always win that fight.

On the Sunday morning of the scheduled 26.2 mile race, thousands of runners boarded the Staten Island Ferry to assist in the clean-up of Hurricane Sandy. They were well organized and helped moved debris, listened to people impacted, and demonstrated the power of the human spirit. Their energy and ability was put to great use!

Other runners gathered at Central Park and ran together the last part of the course. It was a time to celebrate the journey they have been on for months. As anyone that has trained for a marathon knows, it is not just about running. You give up time with friend and family, skip night outs at the bar, and change your way of thinking. Some used the training to stop smoking/drinking/drugs and others needed to prove something to themselves.

But the actual marathon day is not the end. I do feel sad for those that were not able to take those final 26.2 miles steps, but race day is not the victory. It is the journey of getting to race day that is the true reward of the marathon. The people that

In my opinion, I think the city missed an opportunity. They could have organized a large number of people the day before, day after, afternoon after the marathon. That is access to a group of 40,000 fit and energetic individuals already on the scene. They had paid for their flight, hotel, and food to be there. Marathoners are a group of people that understand overcoming adversity and dealing with challenging situations. That is what we learn most through our months and months of training. Rather than shunning the group for coming to the city, they could have been welcomed in and thanked for helping recover economically, energetically, and with their labor.

True, the runners may not have received their medal, but being ready to run on Sunday proved they had earned them.

If you can, make a donation to Hurricane Sandy with the Red Cross