My dad called to ask, by Alisa LoSasso

My dad called to ask if I heard about Boston
Like a kid who skipped her homework, I murmured that I hadn't read the paper yet
I started running before there were bombs at marathons
But after I had kids
Red and sweaty and pounding the suburban pavement
A gypsy of the streets for a mile and a half
Escaping the scrutiny that happened at home after I put the kids to bed
And after 40, running away from something became running toward what's better
All those things were worth the risk of pulled hamstrings or sudden cardiac arrest
And the thrill of looping around the river drives faster than the week before, a bonus even if I had to fight for it
The runners in Boston all had life-affirming stories too
And no amount of wreckage can take that away
My dad never asked outright if I was still planning on the Broad Street Run
I'm more afraid of what happens if I don't
I could choose to be paralyzed by ugly acts on humankind, but I would rather be running

– Alisa LoSasso

Alisa LoSasso, 41, of Havertown is a pediatrician at Nemours and teaches at Jefferson Medical College. She has three wonderful children, has authored scads of unpublished poetry, and was proud to be a Determination runner for this year's Broad Street Run.