Not feeling the love for runners in the Friendly City

H'burg Aroma-cast: slightly poultry-esque east of town; neutral with undertones of interstate highway in central regions.

Something I've been meaning to post about for the last few days...there was a real tragedy here at the beginning of the week when a runner was killed in a hit and run accident involving a drunk driver. But get this: the accident happened at 5:30AM. Now, I run with someone who does shift-work, so I get it that for some people the day is ending right when mine is beginning, but, wow, this was a meeting of extremes.

It's been distressing on a number of levels. I've been following the online news where local residents post and, while most of the comments condemn the drunk driver (a twenty-four year old female bartender), some of the posts are downright hostile to the runner, blaming her for running in the road in the dark. The runner, however, was part of a very experienced group (who unfortunately witnessed the accident), running against traffic and decked out in reflective gear.

Anyways, in an effort to distract myself from thinking too much about the reality of road dangers, I've been fixated on how irritating the local news coverage is. Here's my list of complaints:

1. Anyone who runs at 5AM in $100 running shoes is a RUNNER not a "jogger," as the news has been claiming. "Jogging" is so late Seventies--like oakey chardonnays, avocado salads, and California. Puh-lease.

2. Why did the local newspaper have to put the cliche photo of the accident scene with the single fallen-soldier running shoe in the foreground on the front page? Oy.

3. Why, when the victim was described as running on the side of the road against traffic, did the local television news team go interview a bunch of uninvolved residents who vaguely speculated about the dangers of standing in the median when waiting to cross the street? Sweet Jesus.