--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the day of the Boston Marathon…" description: "\"“On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I actually knew more about what had happened than the CAPCOM I’d called.”\" — Chris Hadfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg" --- # On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I… ![“On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I actually knew more about what had happened than the CAPCOM I’d called.” quote by Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg) > ““On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I actually knew more about what had happened than the CAPCOM I’d called.”” [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even experts can be outpaced by local knowledge during crises, highlighting the value of on‑the‑ground insight. **In simple terms:** Local people often know more than distant specialists. Key Takeaway Trust and verify local information. Themes space crisis management communication Mood pragmatic cautious Type operational analytical When to use this quote - emergency response - team coordination - public safety Key Concepts situational awareness information hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How can agencies better integrate local intel? - When should remote advice be overridden? A Different Perspective Relying solely on remote experts can cause delays. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boston marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston-marathon/) ## Related quotes > [Tamerlan Tsarnaev is telling no tales. The older of the two brothers who committed the Boston Marathon bombings was likely the one who planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/tamerlan-tsarnaev-is-telling-no-tales-the-older-of-the-two-brothers/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [After the Boston Marathon bombings, people shared grief and outrage on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/after-the-boston-marathon-bombings-people-shared-grief-and-outrage-on/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Marathon Day in Boston and all of Massachusetts, it's Patriot's Day, and it's a big celebration for us. It's a day when we're kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/marathon-day-in-boston-and-all-of-massachusetts-it-s-patriot-s-day/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [This is a bad day for Boston, but I think if we pull together we'll get through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-menino/this-is-a-bad-day-for-boston-but-i-think-if-we-pull-together-we-ll/) [Thomas Menino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-menino/) > [“in 2007, Suni Williams ran the Boston Marathon in space, which took her only 4 hours and 24 minutes.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/in-2007-suni-williams-ran-the-boston-marathon-in-space-which-took-her/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“My confessions did nothing to alter this situation, but for the first time in my life I felt that somebody actually knew me. Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-confessions-did-nothing-to-alter-this-situation-but-for-the-first/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I actually knew I was going to be perfect for Def Leppard, sorry I hate to say that but I knew it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-campbell/i-actually-knew-i-was-going-to-be-perfect-for-def-leppard-sorry-i/) [Vivian Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-campbell/) > [Imagine a world where Hillary Clinton actually knew what she was talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/imagine-a-world-where-hillary-clinton-actually-knew-what-she-was/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [I actually knew Adlai Stevenson and Jack and Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-actually-knew-adlai-stevenson-and-jack-and-bobby-kennedy/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [I've known Chevy Chase for so long, I actually knew him when he was funny!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-belzer/i-ve-known-chevy-chase-for-so-long-i-actually-knew-him-when-he-was/) [Richard Belzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-belzer/) > [It was one thing to make mistake; it was another thing to keep making it. I knew what happened when you let yourself get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reiko-farmer/it-was-one-thing-to-make-mistake-it-was-another-thing-to-keep-making/) Reiko Farmer > [Everything established should go out the window. But I don't know how to do it. If someone knew how, it would have happened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-sr/everything-established-should-go-out-the-window-but-i-don-t-know-how/) [Robert Downey Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-sr/) > [“He knew what had happened, of course. He couldn’t blame the boy. Jackson needed to be silenced. Things were going to come to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/he-knew-what-had-happened-of-course-he-couldn-t-blame-the-boy-jackson/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [“And if she didn’t know already that she liked that stupid effing Asian kid, she knew it now. Because even after everything that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/and-if-she-didn-t-know-already-that-she-liked-that-stupid-effing/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“I've come to realize there's a world of difference between knowing something happened, even knowing why it happened, and believing it. Because when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ve-come-to-realize-there-s-a-world-of-difference-between-knowing/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) ## More by Chris Hadfield > [“Wow, that was a really good sleep. I feel great. Hmm, that sounds like someone on the radio; maybe I’m still dreaming. Weird—the guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/wow-that-was-a-really-good-sleep-i-feel-great-hmm-that-sounds-like/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“Sometimes when people find out I’m an astronaut, they ask, “So what do you do when you’re not flying in space?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/sometimes-when-people-find-out-i-m-an-astronaut-they-ask-so-what-do/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [My optimism and confidence come not from feeling I'm luckier than other mortals, and they sure don't come from visualizing victory. They're the result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/my-optimism-and-confidence-come-not-from-feeling-i-m-luckier-than/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [Our training pushes us to develop a new set of instincts: instead of reacting to danger with a fight-or-flight adrenaline rush, we're trained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/our-training-pushes-us-to-develop-a-new-set-of-instincts-instead-of/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“That’s how I approach just about everything. I spend my life getting ready to play “Rocket Man.” I picture the most demanding challenge; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/that-s-how-i-approach-just-about-everything-i-spend-my-life-getting/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“Many people object to “wasting money in space” yet have no idea how much is actually spent on space exploration. The CSA’s budget, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/many-people-object-to-wasting-money-in-space-yet-have-no-idea-how/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [Don't let life randomly kick you into the adult you don't want to become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/don-t-let-life-randomly-kick-you-into-the-adult-you-don-t-want-to/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [The Soyuz craft weighs tons, and you're lying on the floor of it on your back. But the Russians do tell you, remember, before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/the-soyuz-craft-weighs-tons-and-you-re-lying-on-the-floor-of-it-on/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“They have the impression that between launches, we pretty much sit around in a waiting room in Houston trying to catch our breath before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/they-have-the-impression-that-between-launches-we-pretty-much-sit/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [It's almost comical that astronauts are stereotyped as daredevils and cowboys. As a rule, we're highly methodical and detail-oriented. Our passion isn't for thrills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/it-s-almost-comical-that-astronauts-are-stereotyped-as-daredevils-and/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“If you’re an adrenaline junkie, I understand why you’d find that exciting. But I’m not, and I don’t. To me, the only good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/if-you-re-an-adrenaline-junkie-i-understand-why-you-d-find-that/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [I once made myself black out by pulling G too quickly while flying an F-18. Being unconscious in a single-seat airplane is not good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/i-once-made-myself-black-out-by-pulling-g-too-quickly-while-flying-an/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“When you have some skills but don’t fully understand your environment, there is no way you can be a plus one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/when-you-have-some-skills-but-don-t-fully-understand-your-environment/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [Anticipating problems and figuring out how to solve them is actually the opposite of worrying: it's productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/anticipating-problems-and-figuring-out-how-to-solve-them-is-actually/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [I think there are lots of ways to exercise ambition and accomplish things using leadership without going into elected politics. So, categorically, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/i-think-there-are-lots-of-ways-to-exercise-ambition-and-accomplish/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) [Explore all 191 Chris Hadfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) ## More Boston marathon quotes > [We can never completely prevent another tragedy like the Boston Marathon attacks from happening. But every American should ask themselves if their community is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-never-completely-prevent-another-tragedy-like-the-boston/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Until we fully understand what turned two brothers who allegedly perpetrated the Boston Marathon bombings into murderers, it is hard to make any policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/until-we-fully-understand-what-turned-two-brothers-who-allegedly/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [There is a unique energy surrounding the Boston Marathon that you can't help but feel. It includes every runner and every person along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hastings/there-is-a-unique-energy-surrounding-the-boston-marathon-that-you-can/) Amy Hastings > [“I'm the only person I know who has slept through a fire drill. Apparently, I pulled the alarm. Yeah, I sleepwalk. Sometimes I sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-the-only-person-i-know-who-has-slept-through-a-fire-drill/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Those 2 Terrorist who bomb the Boston Marathon, kill innocent people, damage ordinary people like me and you, just because of there hate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/those-2-terrorist-who-bomb-the-boston-marathon-kill-innocent-people/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [There was no way to lock down, or tighten up, or Fail-Safe into Security Theater a race that covers 26.2 miles, a race that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/there-was-no-way-to-lock-down-or-tighten-up-or-fail-safe-into/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [For three years, I lived in a miniscule apartment on Beacon Street, less than a mile from the Boston Marathon explosions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/for-three-years-i-lived-in-a-miniscule-apartment-on-beacon-street/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Watching the spontaneous acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity, courage, and bravery in the aftermath of the Boston marathon bombings was so deeply moving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/watching-the-spontaneous-acts-of-kindness-compassion-and-generosity/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [This wasn’t just an attack against the Boston Marathon... It was an attack against the American public and our democratic use of the streets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amby-burfoot/this-wasn-t-just-an-attack-against-the-boston-marathon-it-was-an/) [Amby Burfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amby-burfoot/) > [ US government policies are continuing to do exactly the same thing \[produce terrorism\]. Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/us-government-policies-are-continuing-to-do-exactly-the-same-thing/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Finally, we must bear in mind that guns are not the only tools of mass killing. In America, by far the worst mass murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/finally-we-must-bear-in-mind-that-guns-are-not-the-only-tools-of-mass/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [Instead of arguing about whether we're allowed to describe Muslim terrorists as 'Muslim terrorists,' why don't we argue about whether it's a good idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/instead-of-arguing-about-whether-we-re-allowed-to-describe-muslim/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I've run the Boston Marathon 6 times before. I think the best aspects of the marathon are the beautiful changes of the scenery along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-ve-run-the-boston-marathon-6-times-before-i-think-the-best-aspects/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“A novel is something that stands at the end of a lengthy process called writing. It is not a preexisting Platonic form embedded within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-nelson/a-novel-is-something-that-stands-at-the-end-of-a-lengthy-process/) Victoria Nelson > [Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone strike in Yemen attacking a peaceful village, which killed a target who could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/two-days-after-the-boston-marathon-bombings-there-was-a-drone-strike/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 42 Boston marathon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston-marathon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I actually knew more about what had happened than the CAPCOM I’d called.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Hadfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-for-example-i-actually/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boston marathon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-for-example-i-actually/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/chris-hadfield-2011_boston-marathon_on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombin_3140476.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, for example, I actually knew more about what had happened than…” — Chris Hadfield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Hadfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On the day of the Boston...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-for-example-i-actually/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/on-the-day-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-for-example-i-actually/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```