On this American day of thanks, here are a few reasons why I appreciate running:

Friends
Old, new, near, far, lifetime companions and once off acquaintances, training mates and competitors… No other activity comes close to bringing me such an array of characters. Our backgrounds, nationalities, professions, ethnicity, cultures and beliefs may differ but who cares when we share running.

Head Space
When I’m running solo it’s amazing how many solutions or ideas pop into my head. Problems don’t seem so daunting. My mind is free to dream and create. Maybe it’s all that fresh air. Other times everything slows down and it’s peaceful. No thoughts of what to do next. It’s a moving meditation, just the rhythm of my breathing and feet as I run the trails.

The Great Outdoors
Every day I slip on my shoes and go on a sightseeing tour. I share my run with geese, ducks, countless birds, squirrels, rabbits, horses, cows, llamas, goats and the occasional coyote. There are mountains, farmlands, desert and endless blue sky. It’s my own version of the National Geographic Channel.

Self-Belief
My strong and fit body gives me confidence to tackle life’s problems. Sure things can get overwhelming at times and worries can drag me down. But then I remember that I’ve raced half marathons, lined up against the best at the Masters World Championships and run in all weather extremes. Suddenly those problems don’t seem so insurmountable.

Food, glorious food.
Celebrating life, for me, is all about family, friends, good food and wine and great conversation. Running allows me to regularly indulge in this pleasure, knowing I’ll burn off the extra calories on my next run. So I can say yes to that extra serving, piece a cake or glass of champagne.

As my sister-in-love Kate would say, life is good and then it gets better.

Happy Thanksgiving.