Thankful Things Thursday: Cleared Air Edition

Happy Thursday! This week is flying by and I love it.

Since it’s Thursday, you know how we roll at Ali On The Run. We get down with our thankful sides.

I’m in a weird mood today. Stay with me. Please.

In honor of the weekly tradition, here’s what I’m thankful for today…

I’m thankful for having a job with sweet perks. Part of my job includes covering the Broadway scene. That means seeing shows. Lots and lots of shows. Yesterday I hit up a matinee performance of Anything Goes, then spent the evening at Catch Me If You Can (where I was seated a few seats away from Billy Crystal!).

Anything Goes was cute and I was by far the youngest person in the audience by about 50 years. The older generation was loving it! Catch Me If You Can was fantastic and I spent the entire time grinning up at Aaron Tveit, the show’s star, who is unbelievably charming and handsome (he played Trip Van der Bilt on “Gossip Girl” — total stud).

Last night I was complaining to my mom about having spent six hours of my day in a cramped Broadway theater. Her sympathetic response: “Rough life.”

I’m thankful for my gym. I love Crunch and although I’ve been going there for a few years now, I’m not sick of the classes yet. Yesterday, in between shows, I did a TRX class and a spinning class. It felt good to get some strength training and cardio in.

I’m thankful for running. Are you sick of this one yet? I think I always say I’m thankful for running. This morning I suited up in my new National Half T-shirt and hit the river path.

There wasn’t much for a sunrise, but I did see a Coast Guard boat, so I took a picture of it to share with you.

I know, that photo is lame. But I wanted to reassure you all that I do still have the same/a similar running route, so as soon as Mother Nature gets her act together, I’ll be back with the bright orange and red photos you’re used to.

I’m thankful everything is out in the open. I feel a bit like a weight has been lifted after writing Tuesday’s big breakup post. For a while it was really tough writing about my day-to-day life and leaving a huge part of it out — like the fact that it pained me to come up with “Thankful Things Thursday” topics when I felt so ungrateful for a lot of things. I’m glad I’ve cleared the air and been honest about what’s been going on.

I’m thankful I have a new apartment. You had to have seen this one coming. My new place is great so far and I’m excited to continue making it feel like home. I’m also excited to start having visitors and entertaining. Obviously I already have lots of wine.

I’m thankful for clothes from my mom (and for my mom in general). Every now and then my mom will make a trip to the outlets in New Hampshire, and a few days later I’ll get a package including some form of chocolate, a nice card and something she picked up for me. She’s a nice lady. Today I’m wearing a sweater she got for me a while ago. I’m not sure I like it, but again, my clothes aren’t unpacked so I’ve been wearing whatever is on the top of the pile.

Lastly, I’m incredibly thankful for all of the love you’ve shown me this week. Any faith I had lost in people in general has been totally restored this week. I’m beyond grateful and deeply appreciative.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN: Give me two (or more!) things you’re thankful for today. Are you having a good hair day? (I’m not.) Did you pack an awesome lunch that you’re excited to eat? Are you still in your pajamas? Let me know!

Ali

Ali

36 Responses

  1. Very cool that you get to check out shows as part of your job. Have you seen Memphis? I’m going with my brother when I come up there in about a week!
    My mom does the same thing- picks out clothes for me and sends them or gives them to me when I see her. It’s definitely kind of hit or miss…lol!

  2. Two things I’m thankful for: 1. My mom go down to NC yesterday! We are on our way to the Biltmore now!! 2. You bought plane tickets to come visit in June!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t even begin to explain how excited I am for you to come down here!

  3. Your job sounds awesome! I would love to watch plays for free all the time! Your mom seems so sweet – I love it when my mom sends me cards and cute packages too!
    Today I’m thankful for my wonderful supportive family (they have helped me sort through my grad school decision process SO much)…and also for the delicious sweet potato fries I just ate 🙂

  4. I’m thankful for being injury-free right now in my running, my husband, and the fact there are only 30 more days of school until summer vacation!!

  5. This morning I’m thankful for my banana-peanut butter oatmeal and being able to walk to work (no rain!)!

    Ali – do you how long the East river path goes north and south? I usually run it from 14th street downward, but I’ve never been above 23rd street on the path. Does it break at all or keep going?

    Thanks!

    1. Unfortunately the path breaks, which is kind of annoying. You have to shift onto 1st Avenue near the UN (42nd Street). It picks back up again in the high 50s (I think), but then because of construction is blocked again at 79th Street. Very frustrating!

  6. Hi Ali, I adore your blog, and I admire your super strength out on the run and in life! I’m a fellow NYC girl/runner and I love your posts on gym workouts, running, races, life-living, etc. Another aspect of your blog which I also really enjoy are your outfit posts. As a quintessential NYC girl, you have such great style! I’m totally aware that this is not a fashion blog, but I was wondering if you ever considered making your outfit snaps a little more visible? Perhaps if a friend wouldn’t mind taking them for you occasionally then things like lighting, location, visibility, etc could be slightly improved. Anyways, just a thought! Keep doing what you are doing. Sending love from all the usual running routes in NYC!

    1. Thanks for the comment, Abby! I would LOVE to post better outfit photos. Unfortunately right now I live alone & I’m the first person at my office every morning (which is where I take the full length photos).

      I’m hoping to get a better camera soon though, in which case the photos on the blog as a whole will be MUCH better!

  7. i am thankful that i signed up for the mini-10k and get to hang out with bunches of sweatastically awesome girls in NYC.

    I’m also thankful I’m going to my first gay wedding this weekend and get to show off my dance skillz.

    and i’m thankful that the weather for said outside gay wedding has improved from a forecast of 47 and cloudy to over 60 and sunny. an outdoor wedding in boston in april? clearly planned by two dudes who don’t need to worry about wearing dresses.

  8. Great post!! It’s such a good reminder to think about the stuff we’r thankful for, even the little stuff 🙂 I’m pretty thankful I live here in NYC and can finally run again after being injured for a good couple of months!

    Glad you’re feeling better after what sounds like a pretty tough time 🙂

  9. You have so much to be thankful for Ali! That’s fantastic 🙂

    I’m still in my pajamas right now, but I have a great day ahead of me!
    – Yoga, going for a hike up mt. tzouhalem with my boyfriend & having lunch!

    I’m thankful for having the support of my loved ones, running (it gives me such a sense of clarity & gratefulness), and living where I live (British Columbia). I’ve been here all my life, but there’s still so much to discover & I get to move into the big city (Vancouver) this summer!

    Have a great Thursday! 🙂

  10. Hmm…. This is a little hard sometimes since I am rather pessimistic but I love this feature of your blog so I am going to give it a go.

    1. I am thankful for the wonderful friends I have. I had a falling-out with family recently and my friends have been completely wonderful to me. I would never have been able to survive the past six weeks without them. For them I am truly grateful always.

    2. I am thankful for a new apartment as well. It is one I am sharing with the significant other but it is new to both of us and it is new chapter in our lives.

    3. I am thankful for an upcoming trip to visit a friend for her birthday.

  11. I’m thankful that my Dad is coming to visit this weekend AND he wants to go for a run together along Lake Michigan 🙂

  12. I love the yellow, I think it looks great! I’m thankful that I am able to have a summer packed so that waiting for baby to cone goes by very fast!

  13. must be nice to have a mom that sends you nice things in the mail! That being said – I think she shrunk your sweater……

  14. 1. I am thankful I woke up feeling well-rested enough to hit the gym before work (I typically hit snooze and don’t wind up working out til after work). I did Crossfit’s “Christine” — 3 rounds of 500m row, 12 bodyweight deadlifts, and 21 box jumps for time. I clocked in at 14:47 and decreased “bodyweight” to 75 lbs.

    2. I am pretty annoyed at myself for making chicken salad last night (to be put on a bed of romaine lettuce and sprouts) and forgetting it in the fridge this morning. So, I am thankful for ……….. having the opportunity to make good decision at lunchtime about what healthy food to buy? 😉

  15. I’m thankful that I live in Florida, even if it is 90* at 7am.

    I’m thankful for the new friends I met this week in my neighborhood.

    The yellow sweater is cute, i like it!

  16. I’m thankful for the amazing friends I have who supported me through a rough weekend of missing the Cherry Blossom. I’m thankful for an amazing week in DC that was full of opportunity. I’m thankful for the ability to travel and for all the wonderful place I get to see this summer and I’m thankful for my boyfriend who I haven’t seen in 2 months and is finally coming to NYC this weekend! I’m also so happy that you found so much to be thankful for despite how hard it’s been on you =)

  17. 1. I am thankful that I was able to PR on Sunday with a 2:16 half marathon.
    2. I am thankful that I am becoming a more organized person. This is something I have struggled with for quite awhile.

    I love reading your blog. You are soooo encouraging!! Thanks for sharing with us!

  18. Your broadway double header AND workout classes sounds like a dream day!!! (Did you get to actually meet Billy?!)

    This Thursday I’m Thankful for…
    ~Skype: I used it to vidchat with my adorable little cousins. The four year old and I sang songs and chatted, and the babies just ran around and waved. It rocked.
    ~The time I set aside to read this week: I don’t read as often as I like, but I made the resolution to make it more of a priority and this week I did. My “me” time, away from other distractions was a real treat.
    ~Having my sister in town for a few days

    Happy Thursday!

  19. I love that little yellow sweater! Your mom is so sweet. My mom would never do anything like that. She does other good things though.

    And please, if that is what you consider a bad hair day, you have never truly experienced bad hair.

    I am thankful for cookies.

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about ali

I’m the creator of the Ali on the Run blog and the host of the Ali on the Run Show podcast. I’m also a freelance writer and editor, a race announcer, a runner and marathoner, a mom, and a huge fan of Peanut M&Ms, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (way better than the first one!), and reliving my glory days as a competition dancer in the early 2000s. I’m really happy you’re here.
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