We should not be finishing Liza Fletcher’s run. We should not be running our miles this week in tribute to her. She should be finishing her run, heading home to her 2 children and off to school to teach her kiddos. She like so many women run before sunrise because that’s what their schedule allows, before kids get up, before their work day starts. Running is their breath of fresh air, their clarity, their time. And you say but the world is unsafe don’t run before dawn. You’re a woman. Well also try to not ever get off work after dark and walk to your car alone. Or don’t go to the grocery store at night in a dark parking lot. Take self defense. Carry mace, carry a weapon. Come to think of it women, maybe don’t leave your house. It’s so fucking exhausting to hear the dos and donts. To live in fear. Did Liza check on her kiddos one last time before heading out for her normal everyday training run? Did she have her day planned out? I did not know Liza personally. I know the running community. I know women. I know we all have to be sharing this unfathomable grief and heaviness and anger and fear. I have run for over 20 years and most of my life not had any anxiety or fear. Yes my head is always on a swivel and my schedule is privileged that I don’t train in the dark. But I’ve turned around on runs, when I spot a parked van that I get an icky feeling about. I have run circles for an 8 mile run because the area is more familiar. I have been grabbed on a run in broad daylight in Eugene on the river path. I text Ben when I run at a new place in a new city. Don’t tell me it’s our fault. For when we run, for what we wear on runs. It feels even selfish to post about Liza since I did not know her personally but I can’t shake how closely her kidnapping and death strikes a cord. I flinched at a tree 2 days ago on my run at 10 am. A gosh damn tree. I can only imagine what her family and friends and the community of Memphis are going through. Sending the biggest heart and hugs I can out there. To all my mamas, runners, running community, I see you all. I’m hurting with you. 💔 #lizafletcher #elizafletcher