The one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing was a few days ago and this Monday, thousands of runners will convene for Boston’s 118th event. Around 9,000 more are registered to race this year compared to last year. I’ve always admired endurance athletes and their ability to train for such grueling activities. I have even more admiration for the heroes of last year’s marathon. Not just the runners, but the participants who helped total strangers in need, the first responders and the medical professionals. There is no better example of resilience and grit than the city of Boston. Over the last week, I have been collecting quotes from colleagues and friends on their definition of grit. As I compile those, I wanted to share some of my favorite inspirational quotes from last year’s Boston Marathon survivors. Their messages are that of grit but also healing, hope and love. To see the images of the authors of these quotes go to:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/15/boston-marathon-survivor-pictures_n_5152520.html

“I’m Celeste Corcoran from Lowell, Massachusetts. My message is ‘Still Standing.’ I wrote still standing because the bombers hurt me—they took my legs—but I can still stand on them. I just love the play on the message. Writing it on my naked legs, seeing those words and having the prosthetics next to me. I’m still standing.”

“My name is Sydney Corcoran, I am 18 years old, and I live in Lowell, MA. My message was ‘You Can Scar Me, But You Cannot Stop Me.’ I think that everyone has scars, and we should embrace them. I’ve learned that we can overcome the obstacles that gave those scars to us.”

“Every day my wife and I try to move on with our lives. We try to get back to where we were before this terrible incident took place after 36 years of marriage. Some days are easier than others, but we are reminded every day now about what we went through by some part of the media/news. All we can do is ‘move on’ to the next chapter of our lives together. We are also reminded of what we went through by the pain and suffering we still go through every day both physically and mentally.”

“What I’ve found as I’m running and as I’m out on the course, I find myself both thinking about last year’s marathon and then next year’s marathon, and trying to replace in my head the images of horror with images of triumph.”

“I’m extremely proud to be running again this year in an attempt to reclaim the true meaning of the Boston Marathon, that being the celebration of a proud and committed sporting community. I am excited to go back to this great American city and show the world the resilience and resolve of runners across the world.”

Boston Strong!