You'll Never Walk Alone

My workout playlist is pretty unremarkable. It features a lot of Guns N’ Roses, Daft Punk, and Eminem. What is remarkable is the song that I listen to the most while running…

Gerry and The Pacemakers = You’ll Never Walk Alone

Anyone who knows my fanatical allegiance to Chelsea cannot believe that statement. You see, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is the anthem of one of Chelsea’s biggest rivals – Liverpool. And boy do I dislike Liverpool. In fact, I used to cringe every time I heard “You’ll Never Walk Alone” because it made me think of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, and Fernando Torres (wait, he plays for Chelsea now!).

As you have probably deduced, my opinion about the song has changed dramatically. A few years ago, I came across a video of the Celtic v Barcelona match on March 11, 2004.

Does that date sound familiar…?

On March 11, 2004, 191 people lost their lives in the Madrid train bombings. From Wikipedia…

The Madrid train bombings consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the Cercanías (commuter train) system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004 (three days before Spain's general elections), killing 191 people and wounding 1,800.^[1] The official investigation by the Spanish Judiciary determined the attacks were directed by an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell although no direct al-Qaeda participation (only "inspiration") has been established.

The match between Celtic and Barcelona was not canceled. Instead, Celtic supporters offered their condolences and support by dedicating a rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to their Spanish counterparts. Below is the chilling video…

This song now reminds me that I am never alone in my journey. My family and friends are always there to support me in the darkest of hours. Their faith in me gives me the motivation not to quit.

“When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners’ circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor.” – Pat Riley

Day #5: 5.17 miles – 39.4 min