This isn’t a story about the statistics of this year’s Boston Marathon, or the great exposure our clients received, or even the security concerns surrounding the event. It’s about something bigger than ourselves. About how, once you get past the world-class runners, corporate sponsors, and qualifying times, you find everything you need to rekindle your love for everything it means to be human.
We had the advantage of seeing the start and the finish of this great race, this sea of humanity in all its forms, and what we felt cannot be summed up in a few photos, or even one of the feature-length films being made this year about the marathon. It’s an amazing event you have to experience to comprehend fully.
“We’ve been involved for many years, and it always feels like the first time,” said Joe Romanelli, our President, who shared on-site duties with Bernie Freytag, our Creative Director. “We had the honor of working this historic event for the 11th year. We stood inches from the start line, and saw the faces of all the starters. We could feel their excitement.”
We saw them all…
The wheelchair racers, proving that their competitive spirit is at least as strong as every other racer, and reminding us never to underestimate them…
The runners with prosthetics—putting the lie to the term “impaired”—running with joy and honor and heart. Many of them were injured in the bomb blasts just a few years ago, and were proving that we cannot be broken…
A group we got to know well through our work with the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: The blind and visually impaired runners, navigating more than 26 miles through crowded, treacherous streets without sight, showing us that with a little support, they can do anything they set their minds to…and their guides, who must train for and run a marathon selflessly, for the sole purpose of allowing their partners to run “their” race…
The thousands of runners who will never make headlines, but each of whom has a unique story of perseverance and strength…
The often unsung, dedicated organizers, staff, and volunteers who work tirelessly year round to make sure it all happens fairly, and incredibly smoothly…
The security personnel, from the military to police and security guards, risking their lives to keep all of us safe…
And of course, the thousands of spectators, who give the race so much of its pride and soul. Many of them temporarily give up their streets, and their city, for the occasion. We see their pride in their town, their neighborhoods, and in the people who give it a shot every year.
All of them come together one day a year, and remind us that we are a part of something bigger, though we may not feel it every day. And we come away with renewed faith in human nature.
Boston Marathon start line photos: Bernie Freytag
(Hear what his dog has to say about him)