For those of you who do not know much about me, I was born and raised in a suburb just north of Boston and have been in love with my home city ever since. I am your stereotypical Bostonian — I love going to Fenway Park, Manhattan clam chowder is some sort of sick joke and Tom Brady is one step above breathing in my life’s importance.
However, growing up, I never really understood the draw to the Boston Marathon. To me, there was nothing interesting about going into a hectic city riddled with extra traffic to watch countless strangers run past me while I stood under the hot, Massachusetts sun. For me, Patriots’ Day was a day for an early Red Sox game.
I still felt the same way in the early hours of April 15, 2013. I was a junior in high school and touring Fordham University in New York when the news came. Two bombs had gone off in my beloved city. Where my family lived. Where I had spent the best days of my youth with my father at different sporting events. Where an entire region of people pilgrimaged to on gorgeous days in the summer and snow-laden ones in the winter. Everything immediately changed.
The way the entire city rallied around all those involved in the coming days was nothing short of miraculous. As time went by, things began returning to normal for some. Yet, all around us were reminders of what had happened. People we loved were forever changed or even tragically lost. Bostonians yearned for a chance to show our resilience, and that opportunity came again with the marathon.
When I came to Boston University, I was beyond excited for my first Marathon Monday. Everyone I knew on Commonwealth Avenue raved about how amazing a day it is for everyone in the city. When Patriots’ Day finally arrived freshman year, though I was not disappointed, the rain took away from the holiday in a way I could not yet understand.
As April 2016 approached, I once again anticipated this celebration of determination. It did not let me down.
For the first time in my life, I felt the camaraderie of the spectators. I understood that feeling of jubilation watching the plethora of runners grind and push through on their way to the finish line. What had once been just a day off from school became a symbol of triumph for my city, and I relished every minute of it.
Why is the marathon so important to the New England region? Why do we love getting up extra early on our day off to go watch around 30,000 people run 26.2 miles in the blistering sun? Even before we knew who the Tsarnaev brothers were, the marathon meant so much to people in and around Boston because watching someone overcome a seemingly insurmountable struggle is cathartic and inspiring. We love seeing regular people conquer feats that appear impossible. As we watch the swarms of people pass by, they remind us of our friends, of our coworkers, of us. Those runners make us believe in ourselves and in the strength of the beautiful city we all call home.
People have their reasons for watching at specific spots. Some preserve the traditions of their youth by setting up at the same place they used to go to as kids, while others choose the top of Heartbreak Hill to try and help the runners push through the toughest part of their cardiovascular odyssey.
As for me, I love standing on Beacon Street while everyone runs by, gearing up for the final treks to the finish line. Yelling until I can barely talk anymore, high-fiving any runner willing to give me the time of day and relishing the feeling of love that hangs over the marathon makes my year. One day, I would like to take in the race from that iconic yellow-and-blue stripe on Boylston Street and see the raw emotion on the faces of the competitors as they complete their lengthy and taxing journey.
The spirit is back at the Boston Marathon — that much is certain. Where we go from here is the next question. Every year seems to top the previous one, as now 120 Marathon Mondays have passed. When the 121st arrives, we know that it will bring an even greater sense of euphoria for the spectators and runners alike.
As those who were unable to complete the run three years ago work toward recovery and redemption, they fight alongside millions of others cheering and running on behalf of those who no longer can. And here in Boston, we love all those runners and look forward to seeing them take the plunge and beat the odds every April. #BostonStrong.
