...actually, it's running & irony
So recently at one of the spots that I go running at there was an attack made on a woman. A man, exposing his "kibbles & bits" area, touched this woman and when she ran away he chased her and tried to remove her top/groped her. There is some suspicion that this man may have exposed himself to woman earlier in the year at other locations. If so, the level of intensity is increasing. If not, it's still freaky.
Recently, there was an article in the paper written by another female walker/runner who said it's not safe to run alone in the park area where this attack happened. She went on to say that it's not a big deal to be restricted in this way as a woman as that's just life. I disagree as my running experience is now marred and I do think that I should be able to run alone (at 'normal' times of the day) in this public location without fearing for my safety unduly. I do sometimes run with others, but we aren't all at the same pace and I like just being able to go when I want and not be restricted by others schedules etc. Now when I'm running there, I'm on full alert the whole time (which is very draining - it's hard enough to run without having to constantly look out for danger). The irony part comes as I encounter others on the trail. There's sort of one main circular route with other tributaries but as you're running the circular route you can expect other people running/walking in each direction. So sometime people pass you going the other way, pass you from behind, or you pass them. I noticed that now when I see a person(s) ahead, it's part relief (if any spooky guy with bad intentions attacks me now, someone else is nearby, phew) and part fear (what if this is the spooky person with bad intentions). I found this very odd and it got me to thinking about how others are both a source of security but also of danger.
One of my other running friends (female) feels like if she got groped, she'd get over it, but is running by oneself worth the chance of something more traumatizing happening. I pretty much agreed with that. I'm stuck between not wanting to be an idiot taking risks, and not wanting to have to live in fear and restrictions because the odd person out there has some serious issues that present a danger to others.
In light of the title, maybe I should run with an iron. Strength workout and cardio in one! And if I encounter the 'bad guy', I can throw in some MMA too! But anyone who knows me knows I don't iron so I guess that's out.
And sorry for this in advance guys, I'm not usually so vicious, but I hope that guy approaches the 'wrong woman' out there and she grabs him by the kiwis and twists them like she's wringing out the laundry. Okay, that was probably too harsh. I hope the guy (and lots of others like him) turn himself in and get sex offender treatment? Probably the whole kiwi thing would just make the situation worse.
This whole thing reminds me of a bumper sticker, "The more people I meet, the more I like my dog." I don't have a dog, but some people really make it hard to like people.
