I checked my email and Facebook like I do every morning. But this particular morning was different. Tuesday morning my news feed showed a story about a fellow runner, someone I have never met, someone who was a wife and a mother, someone who was out on her morning run training for the Boston marathon. Someone who was hit and killed by a drunk driver...
Meg Menzies death has hit me hard. Which seems odd to me because before Tuesday I had never heard her name before. It hit me because I am also a wife, mother and runner. It hit me because even though I consider myself a safe runner, I am also naive in thinking that something like this would never happen to me. Her death opened my eyes to realizing that it can happen.
It also hit me that being a part of the running community, this running family, is beyond amazing and I am truly lucky to be a member.
I still have not put all of my thoughts together on this tragic event. I just can't. It happens too often but for whatever reason this particular incident has stuck with me. I'm going to take that for what it is- a part because I feel like I can relate as a mother and a runner, a part because it brings to light that no matter how safe you are you cannot actually prepare for this and that the running community is a powerful place to be and I am so proud to be a part of it. So many feelings.
I am also quickly realizing that I don't need to justify these feelings to anyone. I feel this way for a reason and maybe it's because I am supposed to be a part of something bigger. I am running tomorrow for Meg. I am wearing blue (her favorite color) as requested by the group. I bought a t-shirt to support the cause and to help her family. Maybe I am also supposed to be looking into making more of a difference. Maybe I am supposed to be finding a way to raise awareness about drunk and distracted drivers the way that some of the members of this facebook group are.
The statistics show that a pedestrian is hit by a driver every 9 minutes. That is too often, in my opinion and I think that something should and can be done to make it more safe for bicyclists, runners, walkers, etc to be out doing what they love to do without the risk of being hit by a car. I am going to look into what I can personally do to help bring awareness. I may possibly start making medal holders and bib holders again, but this time I plan to sell them to donate the money to a cause that supports this awareness.
As of this morning there were a total of
5,900+ members in the facebook group Meg's Miles Supporter
2,200+ shirts sold
$21,000+ raised for the family
and 66,000+ people dedicating the miles they run this weekend to Meg
I'm running for Meg on Saturday. Join the 66,000+ people and go for a walk, a run, anything.
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