DENVER — Friday night a local runner continued to recover in the hospital after being hit by a car and left for dead earlier in the week. Tina Benner’s story has touched many especially those in the running community .
A fellow runner who heard about the tragic accident is now making it her mission to promote runner safety.
“Broke my heart. I’ve been running for 38 years and I’m just, I’m thinking of her and I’m just thinking she may never be able to run again,” Glennis Maurer said.
She has never met Benner but felt connected to her when she heard her story on the news.
Tuesday morning, Benner was jogging in Highlands Ranch when the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department said Markus Lide hit her with his car and took off.
Friends said a girl on her way to school spotted Benner lying in a steep ditch suffering from serious injuries. Benner was training for the upcoming Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Maurer is training for that event too.
“And that the race coming up that she was training for that we will all be out there running and I just thought we need to do something so that she knows her spirit is out there with us,” Maurer said.
Maurer plans to wear a sign on her back on race day.
“I’m running for Tina Benner and the safety of all runners,” Maurer said. “I thought somebody has got to call some awareness to people out there and to people being more cautious in their driving.”
Maurer wants to make sure she’s not the only one wearing that message on her back on race day.
“I would like at least half of the population of runners there have a sign stating that she’s in spirit and she’s there, and that they are running not only for her but for the safety of the other runners that are out there every day trying to stay healthy,” she said.
Maurer contacted St. Andrew United Methodist Church, where Benner is a member. The pastor has agreed to help print out hundreds of the signs. Maurer hopes other organizations in the community will step up to make thousands more.
Lide is out on bond after turning himself in to authorities. Meanwhile Maurer said she was told there will be about 14,000 runners at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Oct. 18. She welcomes anyone who wants to help her print more signs for the event.