NO MATTER WHAT, STAND BACK UP AND KEEP GOING

MARK ALLEN COACHING

If you need motivation to keep going, look no further than The Boston Marathon. It’s going to take place once again Monday April 16th, 2018.

If there was ever an athletic event that could have just folded under duress and horrendous circumstances, this was one of them. On race day two homemade bombs exploded near the finish line in 2013. It was a tragedy no one will forget. Sports should be immune from politics and world events, but on that day we were all reminded that it doesn’t.

Race Director Dave McGillivray was out on the course when it happened, but his children were not.

They were somewhere at the finish. Dave raced back. But by the time he got there, not even he was allowed to enter the area. The police had taken over. It was no longer a sporting event. It was the scene of a terrorist attack. Fortunately, no one in his family was hurt!

It would have been so easy to never hold the race again in light of the lives lost. The unseen danger was a shock to everyone. But the opposite happened. The race, Dave, the athletes stood back up and held it the very next year in honor of those who were affected by the bombing.

That next year McGillivray also competed in and completed the IRONMAN in Hawaii. It was not his first time there by any stretch, and will likely not be his last. He also completed the World Marathon Challenge this past year running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days.

Every moment in a race is a moment to cherish. Yes, it may be painful, challenging even feel impossible. But no matter what, stand back up and keep going!