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To those who don’t run, calling the act of running “fun” can seem absurd. Even for those who do understand, it’s not easy to define or explain. In the most basic sense, it’s just fun to move playfully through the world—running wherever you are—with just a pair of shoes and your body. You feel capable. Free.

And that fun extends beyond me. I met my husband through running. I’ve shared running with the people I love, my two sons, and my dog. My running friends, who I’m eternally grateful to have, are like family. Running forges those bonds. It presents events and opportunities to strengthen those connections, while also constantly introducing me to new people. It’s a part of who I am.

So it’s worth a moment to say thank you, running, for all that you’ve given and continue to give me and the others who share your benefits.

You are a sport, an activity, a lifestyle, a need. You’re something I used to avoid as a high school high jumper, hiding behind the foam pits during the two-lap team warm-up. You’re something I learned to love the summer before college, making myself run on the beach in San Diego, training to walk onto my college volleyball team. You’re what I fell back on when I walked off that volleyball team the following spring after juggling volleyballs on the sidelines proved to be not all that fun.

But then I discovered that running was fun. During college, I ran on ocean bluffs and sandy beaches. I jumped into the cold Pacific to wash off the sweat and relish the post-run feeling that you can’t get from doing anything else. I craved the motion, and I loved how running made me feel.

I still do.

Now I run on trails crossing foothills and peaks of the Rocky Mountains and on the roads and paths of Boulder, Colorado. In this special town that truly values running, the culture and community that comes with running provides so much: friends, work, adventure, energy, fun.

The sense of gratitude I feel also has many layers, which made me wonder how others felt about the sport. I wanted to understand the varied benefits that runners experience, so when I started asking a simple question: “Why are you thankful to running?” The depth of emotion impressed me most. Responses ranged from the practical to the metaphysical. I collected thoughtful reflections from a diverse set of runners, each with their unique take on what the sport offers them. The next time you wallow in that push-pull cocktail of runner’s high and exhaustion, consider the collective gratitude below and perhaps take an extra moment to reflect.

Ana Wallin, 20, University of Oregon Campus Running Tour ambassador and student—on the mental clarity found in running:

“Running is a great way to clear your head. No one can really bother you when you’re running. You can just say, ‘I’m going for a run,’ turn your phone off, and go as far as you want. Sometimes I go out for a mile, and then it’s so pretty out, I keep going for five. I have seen a lot more of Eugene this year than I have in the past two years combined because of running, so I’m thankful to the sport for that.”

, 27, holds the South African record in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and recently raced the 5,000 at a after six weeks of training, only to wake up on race day with a head cold:

“What I love about this sport is that no matter how prepared you think you are, it can fall apart at any moment. Or, you can have the breakthrough of your life. That risk/reward element is incredibly exciting. Yes, some days are challenging getting out of bed to do that early morning workout, and stressful because I challenge myself constantly to improve, but it’s all worth it. Even on my most adverse days, I find joy in the dusty trails with birds chirping everywhere. This simple sport that requires hard work and many miles is rewarding in a way that’s beyond comprehension. It allows me to be better than what I was the day, the month, or the year before.”

, 41, on how running provides perspective and helps him use his voice and story (eight years sober, seven years running) as a podcast host (, , ):

“Running has reminded me of three things that are hard to remember at times: We are all in this together. We can accomplish great things if we do the work and trust the process. And the key to life and running: Be where your feet are.”

, 35, professional runner who also works full-time and chases a 3-year-old, on the value of carving out adventure time:

“My favorite days of training are when I get hours to go explore: seeing a mountain peak in the distance and figuring out a way to its summit. There’s nothing that compares to the feelings of freedom and accomplishment you get atop a mountain peak. Not to mention self-confidence. When I can navigate stressful, technical scrambling routes and safely make it back to the car in one piece, I always feel a deep sense of achievement and pride for staying calm and making good decisions.”

 

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Jeanette Scotti, 50, elementary school librarian and everyday trail runner:

“I’m grateful that running keeps me in shape for adult-league soccer and for life in general!”

, 50, a three-time Hardrock 100 winner (10-time finisher) and 2012 Grand Slam of Ultrarunning winner, on her gratitude for the running community of friends she’s made over the years:

“In ultrarunning specifically, you form a special bond because you know a different kind of suffering. Running is also the way I stay connected to nature—it reminds me to stay present and focus on what’s right in front of me at all times.”

Lloyd Kahn, 90, who knows resilience after recently running the grueling, rugged 7.4-mile Dipsea trail race in Marin County, California—not to mention surfing and swimming in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay:

“Running develops character. It really hurts in various stages. When I get down and see the finish, I’m like, ‘How am I ever going to make it to the finish line?’ If you go through that, you come out stronger.”

, 43, ultrarunner and immigration lawyer who, through her nonprofit, Touching Land, uses hands-on experiences like running to :

“I’ve seen running help immigrants and refugees feel a sense of belonging in the U.S. Running provides a place where, with fellow runners, we can share tears of joy and vulnerability, a place where we celebrate green cards and PRs, but especially a place where our humanity can build our sense of community.”

Aidan Reed, 28, 2024 winner of and 2025 fifth-place professional race and fifth-place USATF 10-Mile National Championships, on developing the sense of self, purpose, and community through running:

“Through running, I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the most important people in my life and travel to places I probably wouldn’t have traveled otherwise. Ultimately, running has given me an identity as I move through the world; it’s the lens through which I understand who I am.”

Beth Smith, 52, private wealth adviser and mom, on balancing running with life chasing teens, clients, and PRs:

“After a run, I either solve the world’s problems or I forget what the original problem was. Both are wins.”

, 40, cultural strategist and filmmaker (including , 2025), climate advocate, and runner, on the healing, wellness, and growth in running:

“In the last five years, running has become a core part of who I am—a way to explore interconnectedness between self, culture, and place. Sometimes it’s moving meditation. Sometimes it’s processing grief. Sometimes it’s pure joy in finding the right relations [with the natural world]. Often, it’s all of the above.”

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