It’s the Mother of All Thankful Thursdays: Thanksgiving! Woot! I have so freakin’ much to be thankful that I scarcely know where to start. Oh wait, yes I do. I am thankful for my Turkey Trot PR today!!! I am not 100% on the time but I believe it was a 22:25. I can’t believe I broke 23. Yay and yay and yay!

I am also thankful for my wonderful family and amazing friends. And of course all of you.

I thought I’d switch gears though and talk about the stuff in running and triathlons that make us stronger. Even though all of this stuff sucks big donkey butt, I’m thankful for it. It’s made me the athlete that I am today. I may not run as an elite, but as the saying goes, in my mind I’m Kenyan.

All of the things I listed below make us stronger. Without them, why bother?

1. I am thankful for that last mile of the 5K where I am pretty sure I am going to vomit.

2. I am thankful for the marathon wall.

3. I am thankful for blisters.

4. I am thankful for PC’s (poopy cramps).

5. I am thankful for sunscreen running in my eyes.

6. I am thankful for a bicycle chapped ass.

7. I am thankful for missing toenails.

8. I am thankful for that near kick to the face while swimming.

9. I am thankful for the biggest hill I have ever seen that I must run up.

10. I am thankful for chafing.

11. I am thankful for sore post race legs.

12. I am thankful for every single unflattering race photo I have ever taken. (And there are a lot. I just don’t put them on the blog.)

13. I am thankful for ridiculously hot days when I still have to get my run in.

14. I am thankful for stupid cold days when I still have to get my run in.

15. I am thankful for side cramps.

16. I am thankful for stinky as all get out porta potties.

17. I am thankful for long lines to pick up my race packet.

18. I am thankful for that 10-year-old kid who smoked me at a 5K.

19. I am thankful for that 60-year-old who smoked me at a marathon.

20. I am thankful for pain.

Happy Thanksgiving friends. What are you thankful for today?