A running Thanksgiving: 5 reasons for runners to be thankful

Things might not have turned out the way we all expected them to this year, but runners still have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Yes, there have been some negatives to the year, but there have been plenty of positives, too. We can’t list all of these positives, but we’ve narrowed the list down to the top five reasons to be thankful right now. This is the perfect post-turkey dinner read, so kick back, relax and find a few more reasons to smile this weekend. 

We get to run 

For a while early on in the pandemic, several countries were under strict lockdowns, and runners were forced to work out indoors. This produced some entertaining stories of people running marathons on balconies or around apartments, but that doesn’t sound like too much fun. In Canada, we were very lucky to be able to go outside for runs and other activities whenever we pleased, and that is still the case. It’s easy to take something like running outdoors for granted, but when you see other people around the world being denied that very simple freedom, it helps you appreciate it a bit more. 

Virtual runs 

Sure, there are no (or very few) in-person races right now, but runners still have the chance to participate in virtual races. We would of course prefer to run in-person races alongside other runners, but virtual races are better than no races at all. It’s not ideal, but we’re definitely thankful for virtual events. 

RELATED: Canadian results from the 2020 virtual London Marathon

We’re living in the best period for running 

We’re fortunate enough to be alive during one of the most exciting times in running history. In the last year, we’ve witnessed a sub-two-hour marathon and multiple world records on the road and track. Not only that, but we’re able to watch these record-breaking runs. If Eliud Kipchoge had been around 30 years ago, only a select group of people would be able to see him race, but thanks to the magic of the internet, we can witness history with the click of just a few buttons.  

Appreciation for races 

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” This quote is admittedly overused, but it’s a well-known classic because it’s true. Just as it’s easy to take running outside for granted, we certainly took in-person races for granted before they were taken away from us. It may take a while, but we’ll eventually get to race again, and whenever that time comes, we’ll have more appreciation for them.  

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You get a long weekend to sleep in

Monday’s a holiday for many Canadians, and that’s certainly a reason to be thankful. Instead of kicking your week off with a cold morning run before work tomorrow, you can sleep in, have a nice breakfast and get to your run whenever you feel like it. Even if you still plan on getting up early to run, you’ll have the rest of the day to relax when you get home.