Sad Story: Promising Runner Killed While Running

It apologize for not spelling his first name correctly: It is Phillip, not Philip, as I spelled it in the first post. It sounds like a great loss for many.

Article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/218983891.html

That's very sad and could happen to anyone.

I wonder what was wrong with the woman who hit him.

Terrible to hear. Usually when I hear of a runner being struck and killed by an out of control driver, I think late night run or narrow road, not noon on a wide road with ample shoulder.

She was probably texting. Has to be most likely, with falling asleep.

67 is older- but it's usually not "senile" old.

Damn that's random. Of all places for her van to go off the road. If only his made had been slightly faster or slower.

Something about the driver - in her words, from sometime before the accident:

My name is Linda Gullickson, I have owned and ran a licenced daycare for 22 years. I have worked with many different children with many different needs. I have also been a youth leader for 15 years, a sunday school teacher/vacation school teacher. I have raised 4 children of my own, who now are all married with children of their own. I have been married for 37 years and have lived in St. Michael for 33 years and am a very active member in my church, and community.

http://www.sittercity.com/nanny/mn/albertville/1600583.html

Recent pic of the driver, below. I know it was her fault, unless an unforeseen explanation surfaces. But geez, she seemed a 1st class lady, who cared about people & gave back.

Without saying, of course all the sympathy goes to Phillip and his family. But I feel horrible for her. Granted, she veered a LOT- but we've *all* veered before- & were lucky a pedestrian wasn't a victim of it.

http://pressnews.com/2013/02/14/gullickson-40th/

Don't be so ignorant.

The woman drove across to the other side of the and killed someone, most likely while texting, and is 100% culpable for the death.

pay attention while driving wrote:

Don't be so ignorant.

The woman drove across to the other side of the and killed someone, most likely while texting, and is 100% culpable for the death.

Like I said above: "I know it was her fault."

How is it possible to not see someone on an open road in broad daylight, unless you are distracted. This women is probably a good person, but she took someone's life, she has devastated many people and it's difficult to believe she was operating her vehicle in a normal and safe manner. Good people do bad things.

Without knowing all of the facts, I don't think prison is where this lady belongs, but she should spend the rest of her life encouraging drivers not to make the mistake she did.

Fvck's sake. Only on LetsRun. SHE'S 67 YEARS OLD. Insulin reaction. Hypoglycemia. Seizure. Mini-stroke. Narcolepsy. Reaching for her purse.

Texting is a possibility, but it's not a slam dunk letsconvictherandthrowherintheelectricchairNOW.

Maybe we could wait for the police report.

common wrote:

Fvck's sake. Only on LetsRun. SHE'S 67 YEARS OLD. Insulin reaction. Hypoglycemia. Seizure. Mini-stroke. Narcolepsy. Reaching for her purse.

Texting is a possibility, but it's not a slam dunk letsconvictherandthrowherintheelectricchairNOW.

Maybe we could wait for the police report.

If you have a medical condition should you be driving? How is that any different than drunk driving.

Remember, Phillip won't be running for South Dakota State this upcoming semester......that should be the real FOCUS!!!!

67 is like 47 now.

If she was negligent, she belongs in prison.

Lots of people with "medical conditions" drive. Probably including someone in your family. You going to turn in the keys when you get high blood pressure, thus raising your risk for stroke? Doubt it.

As to how it is different from drunk driving, that's easy: drunk driving is illegal, driving with diabetes, heart disease, prior stroke, or many other things is not. If a physician thinks a person is a threat to the public, they are obligated to report it to the DMV (MN law, other states may vary), but that's pretty rare.

Such a sad thing. He was so young. I hope his family, and Mrs. Gullickson, can find peace. Two literary bits come to mind. One, is this, spoken by Horatio, over the body of Hamlet:

"Good night sweet prince:

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!"

The second, is a poem by A.E. Housman, titled "To An Athlete Dying Young." Perhaps because I was a young runner, this poem stayed with me as much as any other literature I came across in college, which was now, a long time ago. For better or worse, death fixes us in time, to varying degrees, in the memories of the living. Some, like the poem's narrator, might prefer that as their legacy, over enduring a long life of anonymity and struggle. Unfortunately, that perspective overlooks continued achievement and the happy circumstances of love, family, and accomplishment.

To an Athlete Dying Young

By A. E. Housman

The time you won your town the race

We chaired you through the market-place;

Man and boy stood cheering by,

And home we brought you shoulder-high.

Today, the road all runners come,

Shoulder-high we bring you home,

And set you at your threshold down,

Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away

From fields where glory does not stay,

And early though the laurel grows

It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut

Cannot see the record cut,

And silence sounds no worse than cheers

After earth has stopped the ears.

Now you will not swell the rout

Of lads that wore their honours out,

Runners whom renown outran

And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,

The fleet foot on the sill of shade,

And hold to the low lintel up

The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

And find unwithered on its curls

The garland briefer than a girl’s.

This is why I'm ultra cautious when doing a road run, which are 90% of my runs. I live in a rural area with few sidewalks and no running trails, so I am pretty much stuck with country roads and nothing but a ditch off the shoulder.

Not saying this lady was texting and at her age it's unlikely, but so many drivers are distracted with their phones these days. I never assume a driver approaching me sees me. In fact, I assume they don't and I keep my eyes on the car until they pass. Also, no earbuds for me while running outside.

Flag, I get you bro. I have kids and I worry about getting run over.

But the nearest park with anything resembling a running trail -paved or unpaved - more than a half-mile long is 30 minutes from me. When I say rural area, I mean THE COUNTRY. A one hour roundtrip is just too much time to find a place to run.