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Let’s Talk About Eliza.
Women Are Still Living in Fear and I’m So Over It
Eliza Fletcher. If you haven’t heard about her, I don’t know what you’ve been doing with your time, but change that. 34 years old. Teacher. Mother of two. And…runner.
Eliza was abducted and killed when she was out for her morning run. The tragedy has captivated millions, prompting an outpouring of “Finish Eliza’s Run” efforts by women to physically acknowledge the loss and our feelings connected to it.
I’m a runner. I’m a mother of three. When I was around Eliza’s age, my kids were still in school, I was teaching at a local university, and my schedule was, to say the least, tight.
The fact that Eliza was running at 4:30 AM has confused and agitated many. They question why any woman in her “right mind” would be out at such an hour, in the dark, when obviously she should know it’s dangerous.
There is a nugget of truth there, that it is dangerous in the dark. Sure. I fervently hope for the day that the dangerous part of running in the dark is the likelihood of tripping over a tree root or uneven sidewalk. Alas.
I’ve already stumbled across multiple articles in the wake of Eliza’s killing that advise female runners on how to stay safe while training. The wisdom includes always carrying a phone, keeping pepper spray or mace on…
