'To An Athlete Dying Young'

To An Athlete Dying Young

The time you won your town the race

We chaired you through the market-place;

Man and boy stood cheering by,

And home we brought you shoulder-high.

I remember the moment I realized “Blake” from Crossfit was Bill Marston’s son. My first reaction was to say “of course”. Everything clicked in that moment I worked for a year with the elder Marston when he served as interim athletic director at Concord HighSchool. In the wake of Bill Haubrich’s departure we coaches were a tender group . He was the perfect replacement, kind, loving, always willing to put down what he was doing to say hello, offer assistance and share a story . He is one of the kindest people I know. When I saw Bill at White Mountain Crossfit I asked if he was joining and he replied “I’m here with Blake”. Like the tumblers of a lock, it all clicked into place. Blake embodied all of the wonderful qualities I had experienced with his dad. It made perfect sense. Of course Blake was a Marston.

When Blake was the in the gym the energy changed. Athletes would flock to him like moths to a light. Kind, loving, and genuinely interested in everyone who spoke to him, Blake would put his barbell down again and again to say hello, offer advice, and ask how you were. He had the body of a God, the living embodiment of fitness, strength and health. What drew us to Blake, however was something different. I believe it was his kindness, his genuine interest in those who said hello to him, his honest desire to be helpful. Everything was better when Blake was in the gym.

About a week before he left Concord this past December I had the good fortune to be the only other athlete in the gym when Blake showed up at Crossfit Ironborn to workout. I said hello and right away he offered some advice on my technique. This evolved into a 20 minute conversation about diet, supplements, training and life. When I walked out the door I felt euphoric. Blake could do that for you. It wasn’t lost on me that this incredible athlete, a Navy Seal, was hands down the kindest most humble person I knew. He made you feel as if you were the most important person in his life at that moment, because at that moment you were. Blake was genuine.

Today, the road all runners come,

Shoulder-high we bring you home,

And set you at your threshold down,

Townsman of a stiller town.

News of his death spread rapidly. Although none of us knew Blake outside of Crossfit it hit us hard. My gym mates at White Mountain Crossfit and Crossfit Ironborn moved about in a bit of a haze. This was terrible news. No one really knew what to do. Blake was superman and superman doesn’t die. My first reaction was to think of his parents. Although it has been years since I worked with his Dad, I have remained in touch with Bill and his wife Nancy. Their daughter Emily went to school with my stepdaughter. They have become family. We all grieve differently, but everyone who had met Blake stumbled around in disbelief. His death was covered on TV and in the newspapers. Social media was covered with pictures and stories of Blake. On the ride from Logan airport to Bennett Funeral Home Blake was met with a fire truck and flag on every overpass along the way. Once home to Concord he passed beneath a ceremonial flag and a firefighter salute. The ladder trucks required to hoist this flag and the solemn nature of this procession was a tearjerker. We would wait in line for over two hours at his wake. Over 2000 people attended his funeral.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away

From fields where glory does not stay,

And early though the laurel grows

It withers quicker than the rose.

Blake died in the prime of his physical life. He died doing what he was committed to do. He loved the Navy and knew the great risks that came with it. He loved his civilian life too. His girlfriend Christine is a sweetheart. Traveling with his family to ski was one of the last things he did on leave. He also connected with his good friends at two Crossfit gyms. I am quite sure Blake would have enjoyed many years in the Navy and would have been a brilliant husband, father, and friend. I see him in my mind playing catch with his child, being encouraging and loving, gentle and kind. He was passionate about Crossfit. I see him owning a gym, knowing everyone who walked through the door.

Eyes the shady night has shut

Cannot see the record cut,

And silence sounds no worse than cheers

After earth has stopped the ears.

He will never do these things of course, and those left behind will strive to keep him alive in our actions and our hearts. He is in a better place now and I can only hope his last moments were good ones. He wouldn’t have minded dying for his country. He would likely want the circumstances of his death to be helpful in some way. He would be embarrassed by the crowds and the fuss. The Navy personnel at the wake brought those of us braving the cold hot cocoa and coffee. They had hand warmers as well. His parents stood on their feet for upwards of 4 hours saying hello and chatting to everyone. Those late in the line received just as strong a hug as those first through the door. This was Blake.

Now you will not swell the rout

Of lads that wore their honours out,

Runners whom renown outran

And the name died before the man.

Life is returning to normal now. Well, a very new normal without Blake in it. Not so different for me as I only saw him two or three times a year. I am quite sure his family and close friends are just now experiencing clear sharp loss. The crowds are gone now and we are left with picking up the pieces and moving on. This is loss. This is grief. Blake will remain forever young to us. The week before his funeral, I had the honor of working out with Christine and two friends of Blake’s at White Mountain Crossfit. The unpredictability and structure of a Crossfit workout must have felt predictable and familiar to them. Like Blake, they spoke kindly to everyone who spoke to them.

So set, before its echoes fade,

The fleet foot on the sill of shade,

And hold to the low lintel up

The still-defended challenge-cup.

New Hampshire said goodbye to Blake and then, in a quiet procession, he was brought to Washington where he will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. All we have now is the stark reality that Blake is gone. We pick up the pieces and live our best lives without him. We think of him when we are struggling and when we are laughing. We will all find our ways to honor Blake. We are all better for having known him.

And round that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

And find unwithered on its curls

The garland briefer than a girl’s.

A.E. Housman

Blake lives now in our hearts and souls, in family dinners and Hero workouts. He comes to life in a story, or a piece of remembered advice. He is remembered in a line of firefighters or a spot in Arlington. Photos and T-shirts will bear homage to the life that was Blake Marston. The life that is Blake Marston. The life that will always be too short. A life that will forever be remembered with gratitude and love.

https://www.crowdrise.com/marstonmemorialwod

There will be a memorial workout for Blake Saturday February 7, 9:00am at Crossfit Ironborn. To support the event you can purchase a t-shirt using the above link.