Running is a beautiful sport.

Yup, I said sport.

One of the things that I love about running is that it really is a welcoming community.

Anyone can do it.

Really.

There is no age limit, no social status, no educational limit, no bull

It’s just running.

There is really only one thing that is required to be a runner and that is the passion to do it.

You can be

Fast

Slow

Middle of the Packer

Back of the Packer

Never going to race but still want to run

Only want to run short distances

Like to go for the long haul

Anything goes.

Anything.

And that my friends is what makes the running community so special.   I’m not a sports person, but I really can not think of any major sport where people are so open and willing to help their fellow athletes out.   Running is an individual sport that is true, but we are a pretty special community as a whole.

Case in point….

I’m sure you are aware that the Boston Marathon took place on Monday.   The first woman to cross the finish line this year, Atsede Balsa,  did something amazing.   Amazing besides now having won Boston twice.   This year finishing in 2:29:19.   What she did was something no one asked her to do, but something she wanted to do.   She recognized that she was standing at the podium because of brave women who broke the barrier for her.

In 1966 Bobbi Gibb ran and finished the Boston Marathon.   She ran unsanctuned because women were too delicate to run so far (or so they thought).   There was no bib for her let alone a trophy.    She did it again in 1967 and 1968.   She never got a chance to stand on the Boston podium because she wasn’t even supposed to be there.   She led the way proving that women were capable of so much more. Atsede Balsa heard her story as Bobbi Gibb was the Grand Marshal for the marathon this year (yeah, we’ve come a long way).   Atsede presented her with her winning trophy.    Bobbi Gibb only accepted it with the condition that she would fly to Ethopia, Atsede’s home, next year and present it back to her.   Can’t you just feel the love:)

And this my friends is one of the many reasons that I think running is an amazing sport.   Yes, this is a grand gesture.   That being said on any given days runners are helping other runners.   You see this all the time.   It is an amazing community and I am so glad to be a member of the tribe:)

Are you a member too?