One Of Us...

   This past weekend, I took part of a virtural run honoring a woman that I'd never met. Her name was Meg. She was 34, a stay-at-home mother of three and a runner (Boston qualifier). And she was killed while out running the morning of January 13th after being hit by a drunk driver.
   The response to her tragic death by the running community has been extraordinary. Someone close to Meg came up with the idea that people dedicate their runs over the weekend to her. A quote from the Meg's Miles Facebook page states: "no matter what your distance, no matter where you live, run for Meg. Take in the fresh air, be aware of your surroundings, keep your headphones on low, feel the heaviness in your lungs, the soreness in your legs, and be grateful for it--for all of it."  They then asked people to post their milage and maybe some photos on their FB page.  
   I'm sure the originator of that post thought they might be reaching Meg's friends, family and the members of the Richmond Road Runner's Club, which was Meg's running group. Instead, they created a worldwide movement which stretched from the US to Afghanistan to Australia. Over 100,000 people stated on Facebook that they were participating in the run, and from the posts and photos I saw on their site, I believe it. There was no set distance - some people ran 10 miles, some only a block. But the point was they they got out and ran.
   Why did this story touch so many people? I'm guessing because it hit so close to home. As I mentioned, I never met Meg...but I do run. Often. And runners have this strange bond that unites us. This bond is hard to describe to non-runners. It's just something you can't relate to until you've gotten up a some crazy hour to go for a run…in the rain. Or until you've felt the elation of running a certain distance, whether it be a mile or 26.2, for the first time. Meg was one of us. And she died doing something that we do everyday. She went for a run.
   I don't want to go into detail on the person who hit Meg. What's the point? His actions destroyed the lives of two families and broke the hearts of countless others. But I'd be remiss to not use this opportunity to remind people to BE AWARE of what they're doing behind the wheel. If you drink - don't drive. If the phone rings while you're driving - don't answer it. If you're falling asleep - pull off the road! It's really not that hard! I'm not saying I'm perfect - heck, I swerved out of my lane a bit this morning trying to read a bumper sticker - but I am making much more of an effort to eliminate any distractions when I'm driving. And I'm asking you to do the same. You might save a life.

Shoe Memorial for Meg.

Photo by Loren Adair Rosado.