Do you believe in miracles? Yes!
One of the greatest eve calls of a sporting event, the Al Michaels exclamation from the final seconds of the United States men’s hockey team’s improbable win over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics, came to mind when American Meb Keflezighi finished 11 seconds ahead of Kenyan Wilson Chebet to win the 118th running of the Boston Marathon.
We all know where we were on the afternoon of April 15, 2013.
Me? I just started a new job and was focused on, of all things, figuring out the different stone grades of granite. I came out of my office and one of my co-workers explained to me what had just happened.
I put on my old media hat and quickly started reading everything. New job or not, nothing else really mattered to me at the time. I was sending phone numbers to my replacement at my old job and offering to help him in any way.
Fast-forward to this past Monday, one year removed from devastation. We persevered. We stood together in the face of adversity, for we are Boston Strong.
Boston Strong are two words that will live on forever in local lore.
Today’s technology played a huge role in how people consumed the coverage of the marathon on Monday. If you were one of the few working, as I was, you have to admit that you were checking Twitter and Facebook to find out what was going on around the city and to try to get the feeling that you were there.
If you knew someone running the race you could send a text that included a bib number to follow his or her progress.
This was one of many different outlets for sponsors to take advantage of in order to attach their brand during this historic event in a subtle way.
In the past we’ve really only paid attention to the marathon because most of us got the day off. But for obvious reasons this year was different.
Monday was the first time in 31 years that an American finished first in the Boston Marathon and it was a fitting ending to the year that many endured. People weren’t rooting against the favorites or non-American runners, but what better way to bring it back full circle than with an American taking first place?
We are Boston Strong.
