Crossing outside of the crosswalk.

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Near where I live there is a major boulevard style street that has an asphalt bike, walk, run and skate path that runs along side of it. When the path comes to an intersection it takes a little jag to be closer to the boulevard and to lead into a crosswalk and in addition has a slight incline so that people, bikes, etc. don't have to step off and up curbs. The little jag closer to the boulevard also has the advantage of providing a better angle to see if cars are going to be turning. What I don't understand is why people who are out for exercise, either walking or running, cut straight across not taking the jag and not using the crosswalk and having to add the extra pounding on their joints of stepping off a curb and back up on another. They are putting themselves in danger because cars are not looking for them outside of the crosswalk not to mention the harm to their joints. They are out for exercise afterall, so why cut a little distance off that causes so many risks and means they also have to go through a stretch of dirt and rocks rather than staying on a smooth paved path. I almost hit someone just yesterday because they were doing this and they were crossing 10 feet before the crosswalk.