Just last week Laura and I were talking about the Boston Marathon.  We first went there in April of 1979, Laura took a lot of pictures and wrote on the backs so I am sure of that date.  She got pictures of Bill Rodgers, the winner of the Marathon that year (maybe the last time an American won) and Frank Shorter, who was kind enough to read Timmy's book on running.  My nephew John ran, and the back of his photo shows his time at 2:27:13, place:135, quite a showing at age 20.  Anyway, what Laura and I were talking about was the feeling of the Marathon, the joy at seeing that many runners go by, and the excitement and comradity of that day.

We stood on Heartbreak Hill in Newton, about the 20 mile section of the race.  When the wheel chair people came, we first heard the helicopter that preceded them.  What a sight, those men and women in chairs, concentrating on pushing, pushing and that hill had earned it's name.  Then the runners, just the sheer number of them, thousands.  It was reported that more than 20,000 runners were running this week.

The next year Bucky and Daddy came too.  Again we were posted on the same hill, but this time Daddy had his camera out and Bucky had a big cow bell to ring.  It was a warm day, people were grilling on the street, coolers were filled with drinks and food, and chairs were everywhere as people waited for the racers.  Laura's friend Danielle was with us and again the feeling of joy, excitement and pure pleasure of a spring outing, together with so many people sharing the same feelings, cheering the runners on was everywhere.

So there you are.  That's what I am thinking about this week...and praying for all those poor people, like us, just out for a good, family fun day.