Runners ... get their legs blown off

[Aerows]

What kind of evil human being sets a bomb that explicitly hits the legs like this one did.. against peaceful fucking marathon runners.

You can already see from the injuries that it was a directed type attack. It's a horror.

You take a fucking day of joy and accomplishment, and turn it into a day of tragedy and carnage. You have to be a horrible asshole to do such a thing, and no, I won't call you a "person". Even the lowest animal wouldn't be this fucking cruel.

Runners are now going to be on alert, more than they were, to engage in the sport that they love. Families will be reluctant to watch. Fuck these assholes with every cell in my heart, and every bloom of fire in my soul. I hope they rot in jail, while I still run.

[justiceischeap]

1. Not to quibble but I don't think any of the marathon runners were injured

it was family members of marathon runners that were injured.

[Aerows]

2. I thought one got both of his legs blown off

and the family was keeping it under wraps because he is in intensive care.

[justiceischeap]

5. Are you referring to the guy in the wheel chair?

or someone else? Obviously, you can't believe everything the media tells you (even the Police Commissioner passed along some false info yesterday) but last I'd heard none of the actual marathon runners were injured.

[Aerows]

10. Are you suggesting that the guy in the wheel chair with no legs is... what?

He might be a spectator. He might be a runner.

All I know is that it is horrid what happened to him.

[cali]

7. No, the young man who had both legs blown off was watching his girlfriend

run the course.

there may be someone else who had both of his legs blown off, but if you think about it- where the bombs were placed and where the runners were relative to the bombs- it seems unlikely.

[Aerows]

11. I want to cry anyway

This was so horrible.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. A photo was posted on DU yesterday

(STRONG CAUTION, if you do search for it) which was of a man with his legs blown off and being rushed along in a wheelchair.

I believe he was a spectator, not that it makes it any less horrific.

[BeyondGeography]

15. I don't ever want to see that again and I wish I never had

VERY STRONG CAUTION

[DreamGypsy]

18. When you have finished a marathon and have some friends running as well...

...who are expecting to finish later, you always hang out and wait for them. Other length races as well. That's part of the spirit of a running group. Sometimes, if it is allowed by race (and it undoubtedly is not allowed at Boston), you run back out to meet someone and complete the final distance with them (I did that for my wife at her first and only marathon).

Whether any of the 170 or so injured at Boston fit this scenario won't be known until all the stories are heard. I would not be surprised if there are a few waiting runners among the injured.

[cali]

3. I don't believe any runners were injured.

the bombs injured those in the crowds watching the race.

[Aerows]

6. I don't know if I feel any better

Two brothers both got a leg blown off. They won't be running anytime soon.

[pinboy3niner]

16. A doc at one presser said she knew of one injured runner at her hospital

She didn't indicate whether the injury occurred during or after the individual's run, though. Some runners who finished early could have joined spectators on the sidelines.

[davekriss]

21. There was one obvious runner injured

He is hit by something when the bomb went off, wriths in pain for a moment before falling to the ground. I don't know how serious the injury was, but it wasn't as horrific in appearance as others were.

View the first widely shown video of the first bomb, he's in the middle/lower field of the screen, wearing a cap.

...savagely insane, all of it.

[HereSince1628]

4. Evil...Well, speaking of evil what kind of loving omnipotent God lets such a thing happen?

What's the point of having a prayer service focused on such a God for mercy and relief from suffering?

[Bucky]

12. Well, that's a random (and utterly off-topic) observation

I think you want to be in the Religion & spirituality forums. We're talking about terrorism here.

[Bucky]

8. It was the fans in the crowd, but yes, a truly evil person.

The sooner the necessarily ironic frog march, the better

[undeterred]

9. Probably more spectators than runners were injured.

But why should anyone have to be afraid to watch a family member or friend run a marathon?

[LeftofObama]

14. I've been overcome with anger since yesterday.

In fact I had just come in from a run and saw the carnage on tv. WTF did runners (or anybody for that matter) do to deserve something like this? I won't stop running and I sure as hell won't be terrorized or threatened. I won't say here what I think should happen to the perpetrator/s, but it ain't pretty!

[Aerows]

17. Trust me, I'm as pissed off and hurt as you are

We never did anything to anyone, and yet we get targeted. I will stop running the day I die.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. The runners I know (and I know a few) are literally the nicest people I know

Obviously, this is a broad generalization, and I'm sure some runners are assholes, but in my case, the people who run marathons are the nicest people I know - and I'm talking like seven or eight people I'm very friendly with who run marathons. It's fucking WEIRD, in fact, how nice my runner friends are. Something about the long distance I think, requires a bit of zen or something. I am also infuriated by this targeting - for some reason more than I would be otherwise.

[Aerows]

24. It's just incredibly sad

that someone takes what is our joy and turns it into misery. Blowing the legs off of people. How goddamn heartless do you have to be.

[malaise]

19. Depraved fucking scumbags

One of my nephews ran his first marathon last year. I used to run 10Ks way back when.

[Aerows]

25. I hope there is a reservation

in the hell I don't believe in for them.

This is heart crushing.

[malaise]

26. Don't know what it takes to plan anything like this

That is some serious hatred of humanity

[Aerows]

27. It makes me so sad

and I couldn't even fathom what it takes to blow up people in a celebration. How sick do you have to be?

I'm still going to run, because it keeps me sane. But now I have an additional burden.

Shame isn't enough for the people that did this, nor is chastising. I'm not God. I couldn't tell you what is a worthy punishment in my opinion, because I fear it would be so ugly, I couldn't come back from it.

This is harsh for the running community, though. Harsh.

[malaise]

28. The sad truth is that it happens every day

more than a few weddings were blown up in Iraq and bombs or drones blow up people in their own celebrations every day.
The sad truth is as Marley says
Man to man is so unjust
you don't know who to trust

I'm sick of this fucking planet

[Aerows]

32. So beautiful

it took me a day to reply because I've been so upset by this. Thank you.

[DreamGypsy]

22. There are a number of wheelchair entrants at Boston...

...who start first since they are (in general) faster than the runners.

From Wikipedia:

(Since 1974) More than 1,000 people with disabilities and impairments have participated in the wheelchair division, while the other divisions have gained popularity each year. In 2013, 40 blind runners participated

Here is are the start times that were used this year:

In 2013, the starting times were:

9:00 a.m.: Mobility Impaired Program
9:17 a.m.: Push Rim Wheelchair Division
9:22 a.m.: Handcycle Participants
9:32 a.m.: Elite Women
10:00 a.m.: Elite Men and Wave One
10:20 a.m.: Wave Two
10:40 a.m.: Wave Three

Staggering reduces crowding so the elite finishers are not impeded.

There may have been wheelchair finishers still in the crowd at the time of the tragedy, but hopefully none was injured.

[Aerows]

23. I just want to cry

It makes it no better, and no worse. How could anyone do this and destroy a day of achievement and accomplishment and turn it into a day of horror?

[Aerows]

29. It's horrifying

No matter where it happens.

[4_TN_TITANS]

30. Maybe someone who couldn't possibly do what those runners had done?

26 miles?

[Aerows]

31. 26 miles

is small compared to what a person is capable of, and that has always been what a Marathon has represented.

What every single human being can do, as an individual.