I thought I would share some brief thoughts with you about the Boston Marathon bombing. Especially if you are not from Boston.

When I woke up this morning, there was feeling in the air that our city was no longer the same. As I drove my son to preschool, there was hardly a car on the road. The grocery store was quiet, and the parking lot empty. There was a hush in the air as if the birds themselves wanted a moment of silence.

Yesterday at this time, it was Patriots Day. A day of history and promise. It was opening day at Fenway and the buzz in the air from fans energized the city. It was the start of school vacation week and the city was awash in excitement.

A stark contrast today.

I am fortunate to have my family and friends safe. Yet, having run the Boston Marathon five times, and with many training runs in between, it feels really personal. The last time I ran the Boston Marathon, I ran it in 4 hours and 10 minutes. All you can do is look at the video footage and you can see what I mean by hitting home.

I have bought all of my running gear at that Boston Marathon Sports location where the first bomb went off. I know what the store looks like from the inside. I know the people. I have met the race directors who were planning for this very horror that they hoped would never occur. I know the Medical Director at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and despite all of the his planning meetings, probably had hoped never to see the gruesome scene he had to witness. I know my Chiropractor was working on the runners. That my friend was 1/8 of a mile away about to turn onto Boylston Street. That my former teammates were there, as were their families. That my in-laws were watching the race at the finish line. I was planning on running this year, but decided to have the abdominal reconstructive surgery instead. Would it have been my husband, my Mom, my son or daughter that day? It hits home.

All I can say is that we are a unique city that some have described as one big dysfunctional family, but when one threatens us, we band together. Fiercely. Loyally. The definition of Patriot is “A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors”. Blood has been spilt there before, during the Revolution, and that fierceness to protect and defend makes up the fiber of our bones.

I was born and raised here. I went to school here. My Mom was born here, as was her mother, and her mother, and so on. I’ve worked in Boston, I have lived in Boston.

I am a Bostonian.

As I write this, it has been 24 hours ago that the bombing in Boston occurred. Our city will not be the same. Despite the 117 year history of Boston Marathon, it won’t be the same. I wish I could go back in time to tell the people to run away, to tell the family not to go in that day, to somehow make it so that it would never happen. But I cannot.

What I can do, and what we all can do, is fight for our way of life, and for our American dreams. We will not forget the injured, the lost, the wounded and the hurt.

We will be strong and we will continue our heritage….as Bostonians….as Patriots.