In lieu of Canadian Thanksgiving, I decided to (briefly!) set aside my usual sarcastic and jaded tone that you came to know and love, and do a 180. Watch out, this may get mushy! This year I am grateful.
Dear Warrior Dash, thank you for being my first obstacle race. Thank you for great memories of running through mud with my dad and my baby brother. You can truly be credited with lighting my passion for the sport. You never forget your first.
Dear Spartan Race, thank you for giving me the best racing family I could ever have. Thank you for combining the competitive spirit with all the support and love I get from my fellow racers every time I am out on course.
Dear Tough Mudder, thank you for making me force my fears of tight spaces, darkness and electricity. Thank you for showing me that teamwork can be rewarding even for someone with nickname SOLO. Thank you for emphasizing community over competition. When dozens of invisible hands carry you through the course, it is a feeling of no other.
Dear GORUCK, thank you for being the tight-knit community that you are. Thank you for showing me how you support your own through sickness and health. We are GORUCK strong.
Dear MudNewton, thank you for reminding me how much fun we can have without leaving our own backyard. Thank you for reminding me to not take myself seriously. Thank you for the smiles, the positive attitude and being the best birthday mud run a girl could wish for.
Dear MudHero, thank you for putting on a great Canadian event, and welcoming me with open arms. Thank you for allowing me to learn what it feels like to be the first female crossing the finish line, and helping me to complete another item off my bucket list.
Dear Salomon Toronto, thank you for showing me what fantastic gear can do for performance. Your support has been unwavering. I aim to make you proud every season.
YOUR TURN: OCR and gratitude – what are you thankful for this year?
And if this is not quite mushy enough for you, check out my “29 things to be thankful for” post from 2012.
Thankful, Solo