Fear

I spent most of last night listening to the unfolding events in Manchester on the radio and it was pretty horrific.

Life is too short to be afraid of terror.

Their aim is to destroy lives and eventually our peace of mind through fear. Giving them a second’s thought is a second more than they deserve.

It’s difficult at marathons especially after Boston in 2013. I’m always nervous that something will happen. Even with heightened security the police have to secure 26.2 miles of road which is not always possible. That niggling fear can be incapacitating and it’s exactly what they want from you. They want you to be afraid and to act provocatively out of anger.

I heard eyewitnesses in Manchester saying that they would never go out to gigs or concert halls ever again because of the attack. It’s understandable, but it means that terrorists have changed them. They’ve chipped off a bit of them.

They are only interested in destruction and sowing the seeds of hate. Nothing good can come from them.  I can’t do anything about them except get on with living my life in a manner that opposes their blind nihilism. I’m really looking forward to spending time in a lot of cities in Great Britain as I continue on with my journey throughout June. The only thing I will be scared of is my leaking pipe.

I love it here in GB and it would be a shame to see the country paralysed by fear or caught in an endless cycle of provocation.

The best thing about running in multicultural Tottenham is that I hate all the people equally. If you walk and text on your smartphone without looking up, then you’re a fucker regardless of your race or religion.

Some of my best friends are people.