Regina runners unite to support victims

By Greg Harder, Leader-Post April 20, 2013

Basil Pappas won't run from the tragic bombings in Boston.

The Regina product successfully completed his first Boston Marathon on Monday and - despite the shocking aftermath - he insists it won't be his last.

"There's nothing that is going to keep me from running," offered Pappas, who returned home Tuesday night. "I'm going to Chicago in October and if I can qualify again I'll be back in Boston next year."

In fact, Pappas plans to lace 'em up as early as Sunday when he joins a group of local runners for the Boston Support Run, beginning at 9 a.m. in front of the Legislative Building.

The non-competitive race (a five-kilometre run or 3k run/walk) is open to anyone who wishes to participate and is expected to include many of the 12 runners from the Regina area who took part in this year's Boston Marathon.

"These events exhibit all that's good about the human condition," said Pappas. "The guys (who orchestrated the attack) showed the complete antitheses of what running represents. They showed the worst of humanity. This run helps us accentuate that whole positive experience of running and the human spirit.

"Is it closure or anything for me? I've been affected in one way but my thoughts are really with the people who have been affected for life, the victims, the families and the poor people who were killed. Yeah, I was there, I was a block away but I was always safe. It's those other people that I really worry about and feel for."

Pappas ran the marathon along with friends Gerry and Diana Nagy of Wey-burn.

After the race, Pappas was in a taxi en route to the condo they had rented when the bombs detonated. He heard the explosions but didn't know what had happened until tuning into a radio report while stuck in traffic.

Amidst the chaos, Pappas' biggest concern came later when he and Gerry were unable to locate Diana for an hour or two. She ended up being fine, but it was "a little scary for a while."

Meanwhile, back in Regina, long-time marathon runner Gay Renouf was experiencing similar emotions as she followed the race online and was trying to keep track of local runners, a lot like "Mother Hen counting all my chicks." Renouf had previously competed in three Boston Marathons, the most recent in 2011, and she couldn't rest until she knew all her friends were safe.

"The world of running is a very trusting world," said Renouf, who helped organize Sunday's event. "To have something violate this beautiful world really hurts all the runners who have been to Boston and the runners who have worked for years and years to try and get there.

"We're all feeling something. We don't know what to do. We decided to run because, what else can we do? We're runners. Our forte is endurance and we endure and we show we can get through a tough time and we keep on running."

The locals who were in Boston are to be introduced prior to Sunday's race, followed by a moment of silence for the victims.

The event was organized on Facebook and Renouf has been surprised by the overwhelming response, a fact which reaffirms to her that "there's a need out there to do something."

"What we saw was evil from a few people and we've seen so much good from so many more," she noted.

"I've heard stories about runners finishing the race and running straight to the hospital to donate blood. We've heard other stories about citizens of Boston coming across runners who couldn't get back to their hotel and they'd drive them or offer them a place to stay - amazing acts of charity.

"Part of what makes running special is the feeling that you're in a community. That community has not changed.

"That's part of the run on Sunday, to regain that feeling and remind ourselves that we still have this wonderful community and we can trust each other and go forward."

Pappas admits he went through a period of anger after the bombings but has come to realize there is a more constructive response.

"You can't hide (from the tragedy), you have to keep living," he added.

"Having this run (on Sunday) is a way to run in solidarity with the victims of Boston - to show them support and with the runners who were there to let them know we're thinking of them and that the sports community in general is too big and too positive to let something like this ruin it.

"These guys are going to have 15 minutes of fame I suppose but in the long run the running community will go on just as strong as ever and maybe stronger."