Boston Bombings and How the Marathon Can Help us as One.

Granted, that's a massively long heading. It's not catchy or indeed well constructed but it does what it says on the tin. They are all the things I've been thinking about since the Boston Marathon was bombed last night. I felt compelled to write about it

It has really sparked me into action. Anger and energy is coursing through my veins after witnessing the almost blanket coverage on TV, News, Radio, Twitter & Social media of the awful and shocking bombs, killing 3 people and injuring 120.

Now to qualify and give some semblance to this piece. 22 people were also killed by bombs in Iraq yesterday. There was no rolling news coverage. No mass hysterical moral outrage on Twitter. Just a small footnote in the paper. Yet 25 people lost their life yesterday to bombings in Iraq and Boston. 25 families are grieving. 25 sets of people and loved ones woke up in the morning and by night their lives and those of their families have been changed forever. Both to acts of terrorism. Both to people who use the biggest stage to cause maximum suffering. It's a fucking disgrace they call themselves human beings. We must stop this killing. Humans killing humans for a belief in their way of living. There has to be a better way.

Of course the Boston Bombings received lots of coverage because it is close to home. We can identify. It's so real. So immediate. So utterly shocking. We have the biggest marathon in the world here in London on Sunday. We have all watched it on TV over the years and to see Boston Marathon bombed like that and with so much video footage of it from people's smart phones it makes it even more real and personal.

If I'm honest it did make me slightly uncomfortable with the modern age that some people rushed to the scene of the bomb not to help the injured but to video it with their IPhone. That to me is modern technology gone wrong. Surely we're better than that? However, there's no denying modern society, smart phones, video and social media has changed the way news is reported. There are endless videos and images shown that you simply didn't have when i was a kid. Now it is everywhere. Making us a little desensitised and slight gore junkies. Think back to 9-11, Tsunami, 7/7. Massive world news events captured live on TV and social media. It amplifies it even more and puts it right in the forefront of our minds. it creates even more shock and awe.

On the other side and another element I'm a little uncomfortable with is that it can create an MTV style short attention span on social media and mass hysteria. I guess social media just reflects us as human beings but many tweeted about it, mis information is rife, Chinese whispers round the globe and best wishes and prayers are offered for everyone in #Boston. Of course it is only right and democratic that people want to express their shock and condolences, but then it moves on after a few hours and the hysteria is dropped. I checked today and very little was written about it. Well, not for the families, the injured, the dead or the communities. Where is the support then?

I guess it's human nature to be a little selfish and self absorbed. If you have suffered a death or loss, the easy bit is in the immediate aftermath when there is attention and people expressing sorrow. It's when they all get bored and get back on with THEIR lives and it goes quiet that is the hardest. Multiply that by 1000% and that's what those poor sods in Boston have got. Where is the moral concern then? How can we mobilise our feelings and actually do something instead of the classic human trait of expressing moral outrage and then immediately doing sod all about it and forgetting.

But what actually can we do? Donate to the Red Cross. Fly out to offer support? Campaign against terrorism? Well yes to all those things but there is something we can do that is a little easier and a little closer to home. Come and support the London Marathon on Sunday and stand shoulder to shoulder with your fellow man and be united against those evil trying to undermine human nature. Unite as one through the kinship of a Marathon, just as those killed and injured in Boston did and stand with them on Sunday. That to me is mobilising our right, our ability as a human being.

Why should you do that? Why will it help? To do that we need to understand what a marathon actually is. What it means. What is behind it.

It is relevant to me as I have run several and am doing the London on Sunday. It will be my 6th and I'm a passionate supporter of it.

Coming on the back of the Boston Marathon bombings means it is going to be emotional and meaningful. It will be a chance for solidarity with what happened. To remember and join spiritual forces as runners, as a crowd, as a city and country. How can you show support for Boston? Come and join the London Marathon, dam, not just the London but the global marathon family on Sunday.

If you've run one or been and supported you will know what I'm talking about when i say that Marathon day IS HUMANITY. It captures all that is good in our human race. It is full of life and inspiration. Love and respect. Family, friends, strangers all join as one mass positive energy to stand together with their fellow man and woman. It is powerful stuff.

When i was a self absorbed cynical drinking alcoholic i would look at the marathon on TV and think "what a load of crap why on earth would you want to do that. Run 26.2 miles around London. They even put that emotional music on. Rubbish."

Either that or say "I could never do that", or the classic "I'll do the Marathon next year" after getting 5 minutes inspiration and then never doing anything about it. In short I was ambivalent. I didn;t connect. I was a voyeur and didn;t even know about it. I never bothered to experience the atmosphere or go live. It was contempt prior to investigation.

Then as I got sober I had the opportunity to run it back in 2004 and I loved it. It was incredible. A truly phenomenal human experience. I felt guilty of my previous cynicism, ignorance and ambivalence. My mind was opened.

I have run several since then and it never ceases to inspire me. It is full of people running for a cause. Millions is raised for those who really need it. Whether it be a charity or for a loved one they've lost. It is full of people trying to do good. To honour the dead or to help the needy. It encapsulates everything that is good in human nature.

When something bad happens we feel powerless. The marathon is a REAL opportunity for people to channel their grief or emotion or feeling into something physical, Into something real. It is an expression of humanity. it helps people feel useful. That they are doing something good both for themselves and others. It is a generous day and one that even a cynical sod like me finds overwhelming with love. I cry every time.

Then there is the crowd. The real heroes in my book. 750,000 people lining the route, supporting, willing you on. Where else do you get that in life? Where else do you get that massive outpouring of well being or positive support? There are families & friends supporting their loved ones. Strangers supporting strangers. We all unite as one on marathon day. All the good traits of humanity are on display which you simply can;t appreciate on the TV. You have to feel it, experience it live. Then you will know.

So that is why I urge people to come and join the day. Come and join in. For me it shows solidarity with Boston. It shows we will not be beaten by terrorists. it shows we can stand together as one and achieve great things as humans. It shows that 1 million people can come together on one day and feel at one with 1 million more. It defines the power of good over evil.

All the runners will wear a black ribbon in honor of the dead and injured. There will be a minutes silence on the start line. It will be emotional and poignant. It will be real and i hope you are inspired to come and join us on the day and stand together. One purpose. One world. One cause. That cause is for the good. As we are all worth it.

** I am running this year for Action on Addiction in memory of my father and all those afflicted by addiction. If you feel sufficiently moved by this piece to sponsor my London Marathon for the Charity you can donate on the link below. Thank you for reading **

www.justgiving.com/thenickevans

The Nick Evans

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