Guy Morse,
Guy Morse was the Executive Director of the Boston Marathon from 1986 until last year, 2012, when Tom Grilk took over those duties. In retirement, Guy continues to work for the marathon.
He sent me this note on Wednesday. With his permission, it is reprinted here, as a way to encourage all about one of our sports’ greatest icons, the B.A.A. Boston Marathon.
Guy Morse, a great friend of the sport, wants the world to know about the good people of Boston, and team at the marathon, and the importance Boston Marathon in our sport.
Hi Larry,
I hope all is OK.
As a result of this week’s events, I have received so many calls and texts I cannot keep up.
But as we had talked I wanted you to be aware of my thoughts provided to others.
Please be well and give my best wishes to all my friends in London.
Dear Friends,
I want to thank you so very much for reaching out to us during the devastating attack on the marathon on Monday. We are still traumatized by the events of the day, without a doubt the manifestation of my worst nightmare during my career at the BAA.
Please continue to pray for those victims killed and injured, as well as their families and friends. It is going to be a very long road back for so many.
Most of us with a long history there feel as if we have been personally attacked, our famous event wounded. The long term ramifications will be many and far-reaching for all sports and all large public gatherings, the terror game has taken a new and vile route.
Some of the hallmarks of the Boston Marathon are determination, perseverance and resiliency. Those attributes took on new meaning Monday afternoon, when the race itself became instantly unimportant, and humanity took over in the form of the BAA volunteers, medical team and first responders. It is absolutely clear to me that having over 1,000 medical and security personnel on site saved countless more lives, the injuries were that horrific. Heroes and heroic deeds were everywhere.
I shudder to think about all those years my whole family was at the finish line, and this year leaving my cell phone at a reception causing me to leave the grandstand early to get it…a reminder that life is indeed precious and fragile.
It is a national security issue as you know, with our beautiful finish area dubbed ‘the most complex crime scene’ in the history of the Boston Police Dept. The BAA is working to assist in any way we can, attend to the medical status of the injured and beginning to formulate plans and responses for the thousands of runners who could not finish.
I am helping in any way I can, retirement seems like a pipe-dream at the moment!
I am buoyed by the response of the public and the runners themselves, most of whom vowed to be back, stronger than ever, and that is the attitude of everyone associated with this great event.
Fear and confusion is slowly turning to determination and anger, and with God’s help justice will be served and the injured comforted and healed.
I look forward to seeing you all again, and I thank you again for your support and prayers, please keep them coming for the victims and our country.
Guy Morse
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Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.
Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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by Larry Eder
