I am a runner, coming to the sport relatively late in life. I love running because it's a very pure sport, no matter how many cool gadgets I use to measure my times or distances, or play music to keep me going, or how fancy my tennis shoes are. It's ultimately about me, my body and the challenges I place before it.
The attack on the Boston Marathon is very personal to me. Running is the only sport I have ever really enjoyed. I am not a great runner, only having a half dozen 5K races under my belt, but I still am a runner. Running to me has a purity, simplicity & freedom. It also serves as an essential way for me to stay healthy, both mentally and physically. The very fact that some unknown entity is trying to tarnish and make me fear something vital to my very existence, pisses me off personally.
The Marathon bomber is ultimately a coward, lacking in self confidence and creativity. That person is so small that he/she knows no other way to be heard than to inflict violence and pain on others. I resent this attack on something that is so simple and showcases the dedication of those running.
Running is an essential activity, we all run at some point in our lives... whether it be as a child at play, to escape a threat, to catch a bus, or just to run. No matter the reason for running, it is universal.
I don't know if I will ever run a marathon, but this certainly makes me more likely to. I already have plans to increase my own personal challenges.
Ultimately, this is why I run and I will not be afraid.