I was tapped-in to the Boston Marathon tracker all Monday evening watching out for everyone I knew running. It was almost like being a race-side spectator as we received the 5km splits every 20-25 mins. Some friends hit their targets, others had an off-day but when all were across the finish line I turned off the computer and watched TV for a few hours. So, it was a pretty unbelievable experience when the news started breaking about the events which later transpired. Thankfully, with the help of Facebook and Boards.ie everyone I knew in the city were safely accounted for before we had even time to panic this side of the World.
As I'm writing up this post it appears the authorities in the US have arrested a suspect in connection with the events. Hopefully it's the right person and due process can begin without delay so that they get whatever's coming to them.
On a personal level the 2014 edition of the Boston Marathon has been my major goal for the past 6 months and I know that if I manage to qualify then I fully intend to take part and help honour those that lost their lives as well as the 170+ casualties who were made suffer such shocking injuries.
My big goal for 2012 was to beat the sub 3:30hr marathon time and having narrowly failed in the Cork City marathon in June I had to wait for my back-up marathon in Valencia in November before I managed to nail it, but that I did in a time of 3:26:37 which I was delighted with. The remainder of the year kinda fizzled out (apart from pacing 4:15hrs in the Clonakilty marathon on December 8th).
So, with a new year comes new targets. My first main aim is to go sub 3:15hrs in Rotterdam on April 14th. My main goal for the second half of the year will be to run the Chicago Marathon where I will be aiming for sub 3:10hrs. Both these goals though are stepping stones hopefully to a go at a sub 3hr marathon in 2014 - A time I never dreamed would be possible just over a year ago when my PB refused to budge below 4:20hrs.
