http://bostonherald.com/sports/other/marathon/2014/04/close_encounter_builds_inspiration
Close encounter builds inspiration
AMERICAN HOPEFUL: Mebrahtom 'Meb' Keflezighi, shown during the London
Marathon in 2012, narrowly escaped the Boston Marathon bombings a year ago.
Friday, April 18, 2014
By:John Connolly
Three-time U.S. Olympian Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi knows just how lucky he
is. Except for a churling breeze and an appointment as a post-race color TV
analyst, he could have found himself among the injured at last year's
Boston Marathon bombings.
Keflezighi, who captured the silver medal in the marathon at the 2004
Olympic Games in Athens, had a 4 p.m. appointment for his TV duties, and
left for that shortly before the tragic events unfolded.
"I started watching a little bit of the race near the library at Copley
Square. I was sitting in the bleachers with my brother, 'Hawi'," he said.
"I watched and cheered all the runners coming across the finish line. It
was a lot of fun. It was chilly, but it was the first chance I got to watch
my fellow runners because usually by then I am in doing drug testing or at
the awards ceremony. I was envious of all the people across the street in
the condos. I wished I was over there drinking a hot chocolate. But I knew
I had my appointment to do recap on the television broadcast so I took off.
"I was walking back toward the Copley Plaza Hotel and I saw (John Hancock
elite marathoner liaison) Mary Kate Shea, who had run the race. So, we
stopped and took a picture. When we reached the Copley Plaza we heard
something happen. Then, about 10 seconds later, another noise. All of a
sudden, everything got quiet.
"We went inside and watched it on television. It was terrible.''
Those memories haunt him and are what will carry the 38-year-old Keflezighi
to the start in Hopkinton.
"It's going to be an emotional day, a big day," Keflezighi said. "I will be
carrying the energy of the four people who got killed and of those who were
injured. I have often thought that could have been me. It could have been
my (three) daughters. It could have been my wife. It could have been my
parents. It could have been my brother. I will be thinking of all the
runners, who were tragically affected. It's a human race. We are all
competitors.
"But it's going to be a special year. People are going to be more
emotional. The crowds will be great and that's what Boston deserves."
Keflezighi, who emigrated with his family from Eritrea when he was 12 years
old, became a California state champion while running for San Diego High
School and brought his talents to UCLA. The 5-foot-7 Keflezighi, who became
a naturalized citizen in 1998, won four NCAA titles and owns three U.S.
cross country titles.
Keflezighi's silver medal at the Athens Olympics marked the first medal for
an American in the marathon since Frank Shorter took silver in 1976 in
Montreal. His fastest marathon time is 2:09:08 while winning the 2012 U.S.
Olympic Marathon trials in Houston. For 13 years, Keflezighi has lived and
trained in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. There, he is often accompanied during
training by 70-year-old Rick Levy, who rides alongside on a bicycle.
"He is amazing," Keflezighi said of Levy. "I am very fortunate to have
people come across my life, who have been willing to help me. I can't thank
them enough."
Keflezighi, who established the MEB Foundation to assist in youth health,
education and fitness, did his final tune-up 10 days ago. It was a 20-mile
jaunt. No stranger to Boston, Keflezighi took third (2:09:56) in 2006 and
fifth (2:09:26) in 2010.
"I think my expectations are just to get to the starting line," he said.
"If I get to the starting line then I will be happy. I can give 100
percent."
Received on Fri Apr 18 2014 - 10:42:35 EDT