Today’s run was glorious. Perfect weather, fantastic friends, outstanding ground support and coaches. Thank you, Samaritans, John Furey and others! As always with these long training runs, it becomes so much more about the stories and the company. Today we even attempted to play some games along the way to occupy ourselves going up Heartbreak Hill. (Not enough blood flow to our heads though!) We discussed the death penalty for Tsarnaev, compared training notes, and shared what we watched on Lifetime last night. We praised the weather gods for the sunshine and mild temps and speculated about what to wear on April 21st.
This was a long run. 16.5 miles. My longest yet. 14 had gone really well, so I assumed this would be more or less fine. And in the end it was. But those last 2 miles or so, along the ever stretching Beacon Street to Kenmore Square seemed so, so long. I was aware of the pain. All up and down my legs, and even a little creeping behind my knees. Not to mention my feet, which had already begun hurting around mile 10. Still, I powered on, fueled by the support of my lovely running buddies. Eeking closer and closer to the end, I felt my whole body in pain. “Every bit of me hurts,” I thought to myself.
Then I stopped. Someone else said that recently. Someone who had been kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead in sub-zero weather in a deserted forest. Someone who had been a leader in a peaceful movement for democracy, freedom and human rights. This man, fortunately a survivor, is Dmytro Bulatov, pictured here shortly after he emerged from the forest.
And I’m doing this voluntarily on a picture perfect winter day in great company in a country where I don’t have to worry about speaking my mind against the government and have so much to take for granted. Today’s run is dedicated to my brother, Dmytro Bulatov. For all his suffering, the pain all over his body, and his fierce bravery in his commitment to what is right, no matter the (very high) costs.
For more information on Bulatov, and what is happening in Ukraine, please click here: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-opposition-activist-dmytro-bulatov-says-kidnappers-crucified-him/
Unfortunately, even as I write this, Dmytro is not safe. He is being targeted by the authorities for falsifying his injuries as a provocation. My prayers are with him and all who have been kidnapped, tortured, detained illegally, and who continue to protest in Ukraine in the face of enormous threat and risk.
michellerunsmarathon 