When You’re too Scared to Run, but You do Anyhow? When and Where Do I Run? What Do I do after?

I did not know Liza Fletcher, but I do know what happened to her strikes a core deep down inside me.

This past week has been heavy for me and many other female runners.
I don’t watch the news mostly because it’s mostly bad news so why bother🤷‍♀️. It drives my mom a bit crazy.

If you haven’t heard, Eliza Fletcher was out running early in the morning, was abducted and murdered. It could have been any runner including me.

I’m thankful I have the flexibility to run as the sun comes up, but even in broad day light there’s no guarantee of our safety.
There’s been times I’ve turned around on my run because something spooked me….

Just two weeks ago I was on the trail on a longer run and saw a car pulled over on the highway just up from the trail. As I got closer, I started to get more and more frightened. “Should I turn around …but if he is hiding in the trees, I won’t see him coming towards me”. My heart rate went up. I started running faster and prepared myself for whatever…
I was frightened than and I’m sure I’ll be frightened again…

The pain I feel in my heart as I ran this past week has been real. The pain in my heart for her and what she went through crushes my soul. But I will it let that pain stop me from my purpose to run. Running makes me feel good and I can’t imagine not running.

I will run in the dark again someday. I’ll run alone again like I did this morning. In fact, I hate that I have to call my mom and text my husband while he’s working before I leave for my run. I hate that I have to tell them how long I plan on running.

To be honest, I rarely use the word “hate” but it’s where I am at right now.

When I heard someone say she shouldn’t be running at that hour…I get angry. It’s not her fault. Bad people are out there.
I remember running at 4 am for decades because of life. Was it hard…yes…but not running is harder.

Like most moms with children and a full time job, she ran when she could. Running was something she loved and it most likely helped her be a better mom, wife, teacher, person. What happened to her Is sad. It’s unfortunate on this side of Heaven we are faced with fear, pain, and sadness. But I will not let the enemy win. There are bad people out there but I won’t let them scare me into NOT doing what I love ~ Running.

Running alone is my time to think, learn from a podcast, or listen to nature. I won’t let being fearful win. When your purpose is greater than the pain it most often wins.

I will continue to run for me and others who no longer can. I will continue to be thankful for every day I can run and celebrate each run with my favorite recovery meal after.

No one can take this away from me……..

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SMOOTHIE BOWL

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Scoops of Vanilla Protein (I use this Shaklee Life Energizing Shake)
• 1/2 green tipped banana
• 1/2 Cup of Frozen Organic Blueberries (or berries of choice)
• Handful of Spinach
• Handful of cauliflower rice (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon of Raw Cashews (or cashew butter)
• 1 date, pitted
• 1 tablespoon Chia and or Flax seed
• 8 ounces of almond milk or beverage of choice
• ice is optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix or powerful blender.  
2. Blend till smooth
3. Top as desired or eat as is!
4. ENJOY!

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How do you feel about all this?

Do you run in the dark/alone/ in new places while traveling?

It makes me sad we have to worry about it. Stay strong 💪