Running from mortality

A person I know, who shall remain nameless, used to want to yell at runners, "What are you running from?" Once I started running frequently, she stopped saying that when I was around. I think runners aren't actually running from anything. Not in the sense that they're physically being chased. I'll bet most runners wouldn't even admit to running from an abstract thing. I think we as runners are running from something. We are outrunning our stress. We are running from mortality with the health benefits that running provides. Occasionally, we are running from drivers and pedestrians who have gotten in our way during our run and were not dealt with diplomatically.

I think that is why the story of Sherry Arnold has hurt the running community so deeply. Runs are supposed to make us healthier. They are supposed to delay death, not hasten it. There is also the issue of small-town safety. A city of 5,000, like Sidney, MT is considered immune from the random, anonymous killings that took Sherry's life.

In an effort to cope with the death of Sherry Arnold, runners are doing what we do best; we're running. On Saturday the 11th at 9am M.S.T. runners from around the country will hold a virtual run in Sherry's honor. Please consider putting on your gear and spending your run thinking of Sherry.