What is it with the media and joggers?
This question occurred to me just in the past week or so, as it dawned on me that nearly every time you see the word jogger in a headline, it's bad news.
If you doubt this, do what I did. Sign up for two Google News Alerts: one for the word runner and one for the word jogger. It's amazing how quickly this trend reveals itself.
The 1989 Central Park jogger case, of course, is the granddaddy of such stories. In fact, that one may have kick-started this trend. Did the New York City media get together and decide that "Central Park runner" just didn't sound right somehow? Was jogging a more common term than running back then? It can't have been a headline/character-count thing, since the words jogger and runner take up the same amount of space.
Or maybe it's a subconscious, linguistic thing. i.e., Maybe jogger -- which isn't far from jagged and dagger -- just feels more appropriate in a violent context than the nicer-sounding runner.
Whatever the reason, and whatever its genesis, this jogger thing is undeniable. The mainstream media may report that thousands of runners participated in the local marathon, or that a certain runner just won a state title, or that an area runner beat cancer and now runs to raise awareness for the disease. But if any of those same folks are harassed or attacked or threatened by a crocodile (seriously!) while running, suddenly they're joggers.
Here are some examples just from the past few days:
Rail trail jogger hit by buckshot
Female jogger fights off attacker in Seattle's Colman Park Tuesday ...
Jogger dies on Kellyville road
Man Says Only One Dog Bit Him (A Van Buren man bitten by a dog while jogging says he was bitten by one pit bull and surrounded by several other dogs. ...)
Man says he was attacked while jogging
West Seattle wildlife: Beware the owls of Bonair? (... Just thought it of interest that my neighbor was attacked by an aggressive owl about 7:45 AM this morning as she was jogging up Bonair in North Admiral. ...)
Red Bluff/Tehama County Police and Fire reports 12-07-10 (Red Bluff Police are seeking help in locating a driver who tried to run a 31-year-old Red Bluff man over while he was jogging about 2 pm Thursday. ...)
Jogger finds body in car park
Crawford County Jogger Recovers from Dog Attack - KFSM
Man shot while jogging in Holden, Mass.
Kim Kardashian: Beverly Hills Jogger
See what I mean? All unpleasant stuff.
The "runner" vs. "jogger" thing has long been a source of contention among some runners. (And joggers.) I've always sort of watched the debate from the sidelines, not really caring either way what other folks call me.
Now, though, I think I'll insist on being called a runner. Out of concern for my own well-being.