After Eliza Fletcher's death, women share their own stories of running alone
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Eliza Fletcher's remains were found on Monday just four days after she went missing on a morning run.
The 34-year-old teacher was abducted as she exercised on the University of Memphis campus around 4:20 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 2. As news of the story spread across the nation, women and fellow runners took to Twitter to defend Fletcher after criticism for her choice of the time she went running surfaced.
Fletcher appears to have been a dedicated runner for years. In 2019, she finished the St. Jude marathon with a time of 3:26:09, a fast enough time to qualify for the Boston Marathon, one of the most elite marathons in the world. Out of all the women running the St. Jude marathon that year, she finished 22nd.
'We should be safe to run'
Many expressed their frustration with people "blaming" Fletcher for running early in the morning and shared their own experiences as women who exercise outside at different times of the day.
It does not matter what time it was, if she was alone or what she was wearing. We should be safe to run when, where and how we want. #ElizaFletcher pic.twitter.com/40iWTJF35Z
— BarbByrum (@BarbByrum) September 6, 2022
I’m a woman. I’m a runner. I run alone. I run in the morning. I run in the day. I am #elizafletcher #ashlingmurphy #sydneysutherland #mollietibbetts #karinavetrano #allybrueger #vanessmarcotte
They were all women who went for a run and never came home. #wedeservebetter— Donna Auter (@dkauter) September 6, 2022
I’ve run late at night. I’ve run in in the early morning hours when it’s still dark and the world sleeps. I’ve run in the middle of the day. If you know runners, this is normal. Please don’t tell women when it’s ok to go for a run. Peace to her family. #ElizaFletcher
— Freeman Twin (@ffhecht) September 6, 2022
No one should be fearful of running alone.
Not Vanessa Marcotte. Not Ahmaud Arbery. Not Eliza Fletcher. #ElizaFletcher #RIP— Erin Bailey (@erinkbaileyy) September 6, 2022
I'm a 64 year old woman. Runner, biker, hiker. Spent my life since age 12 being "aware of my surroundings" when I walk out my front door, get out of my car, walk through a parking lot. And I'm damn sick of it. #ElizaFletcher
— MoiraAnne (@missmoira100) September 6, 2022
Women runners worry most about 2 things before a run-whether they’ll be abducted/assaulted/murdered or if they’ll be subjected to cat calls and being sexualized. Men worry about whether they should poop before or after their run. We are not the same. #ElizaFletcher
— Brandi is a fine girl (@Brandi_NE) September 6, 2022
I’m a woman. I’m a runner. I run alone. I run in the morning. I run in the day. I am #elizafletcher #ashlingmurphy #sydneysutherland #mollietibbetts #karinavetrano #allybrueger #vanessmarcotte
They were all women who went for a run and never came home. #wedeservebetter— Donna Auter (@dkauter) September 6, 2022
WE ARE SICK & TIRED OF HAVING TO WATCH OUT FOR MEN JUST BECAUSE WE BREATHE. Carry keys to stab someone, carry tasers, stun guns, mace, bear spray, loud alarms. Knowing self-defense, becoming a gun owner, never going anywhere alone. HOW ABOUT MEN DO BETTER. #ElizaFletcher
— Ashley McMillan (@ashleynmcmillan) September 6, 2022
Early morning running
Some users on Twitter described why some do early morning runs
#elizafletcher As a mom of three, I understand why she would run at 430 in the morning. She likely only did something for herself... like running... when her kids were asleep so that she could give as much of her time to them as possible.
— Kristin L (@Lovely_Day111) September 6, 2022
My mom used to run at 4am every day because she had 4 kids to take care of and then a job to get to at 7am. This isn’t an abnormal thing. #ElizaFletcher shouldn’t have been killed. She also shouldn’t be VICTIM BLAMED.
— Danielle Mathis (@d_nellie3) September 6, 2022
“She shouldn’t have been running at 4:30”
Name another time, ANY TIME, & a woman (or little girl) will have been attacked then too.
Any time, place, circumstance, including a woman asleep in her own bed when a rapist cut through iron window bars.
Blame her? 🖕#ElizaFletcher— BookGrrl (@JamesSuzenbooks) September 6, 2022
Cleotha Abston, 38, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of charges related to Fletcher's abduction. He was arraigned on Tuesday.
Running for Eliza Fletcher
A group of runners plan to complete Fletcher's run on Friday.
We here in Memphis are planning to finish Liza's run.
There is a Facebook event but the gist is we are meeting up at 4:20am the coming Friday and running her route. Sounds like they are even getting MPD involved for security and support. We are #ElizaFletcher— Landlocked Mermaid (@xkrissix) September 6, 2022
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Women runners react to Eliza Fletcher death
