Thankful Things Thursday: Thanksgiving Edition

I’m currently sitting at my mom and dad’s house in New Hampshire, hanging out with all my favorite people and being entertained by my BFF Ty.

As I sit here in my baggiest sweatpants, surrounded by great people and a plate of Oreos (I wrote half of this Wednesday night — though I’m certainly not opposed to an Oreo Breakfast of Champions), I’m feeling more thankful than ever before.

So excuse the cliche of the day — this post is hardly original on a holiday such as this one (though, come on, we’re cool and do this every Thursday). But I’m about to get my grateful on in a big, big way.

On this official Day of Thanks, I have many feelings of appreciation. Some are deep and meaningful. Others are simple and shallow. All of them are about to get laid out right here…

I’m thankful for my health. This is the big one this year. You know how this year has gone. I don’t think I need to rehash the whole sick/injured/sick/sick/sick/want to die/hospital drama that seemed to plague every day of my life since March.

I almost can’t believe I’ve been healthy since I left the hospital on Labor Day. I’ve felt great. (Hold please — knocking on wood.)

For the past two months, I’ve felt grateful every time I’ve taken the subway. I appreciate every time I can wake up in the morning and go for a run and I smile every time I pass a bathroom in Central Park and I don’t have to use it. Being so sick this year sucked, but it also did me a lot of favors and taught me some important life lessons. I’ve learned to chill out (meh, it’s a work in progress — but at least I recognize the necessity of a good mind calming) and I’ve regained perspective. As it turns out, some things — like running a marathon — aren’t all that important in the grand scheme of things.

I know I may get sick again. I may feel great for a few days, weeks or months, and I may find myself back in the hospital any day. That’s my life. But after the various struggles this year, I am strong enough to accept that and, if faced with another Crohn’s flare, I know I can get through it.

I feel good right now, though, and for that, I feel thrilled.

I’m thankful for my city.

New York, you’re my home. You’ve never felt more like home than you have in the past month, and I’m thankful for your resilience, your strength and your determination. You’re beautiful every day. Thank you for having me.

I’m thankful for my incredibly unrelenting cheer squad and their nonstop support. My family doesn’t necessarily “get” running. They don’t see the fun in it and for a long time, when I had first started doing longer races, they definitely didn’t see the appeal.

And whether or not they get it now, they’re there to watch me cross the finish line with their cowbells in hand. They show up, they cheer for me…

…and they support me every single step of the 26.2 mile way. It means the world to me.

I’m thankful for my marathon PR. Yeah, I’m psyched about it. It was wildly unexpected and the day I ran the Manchester City Marathon was a much-needed Happy Fun Amazing Day.

And I’m already, slowly, starting to think about what’s next. That is, of course, after I sufficiently stuff myself full of turkey, gravy and all the pies. Gotta say, I’m pretty happy to be forgoing the turkey trotting this year in favor of quality Tyler snuggle time.

I’m thankful for my job. I dreamed about having this job when I was 16. I went to college with this job in mind, I got an internship to get my “in,” and now here I am. It is, literally, a dream come true.

I work with passionate, talented people who make coming to work every day a blast. On a daily basis, our serious conversations cover topics including boobs, tutus, sparkles, legwarmers and body image issues.

I’m thankful for hot showers.

On that note, I’m thankful for mango soap and I’m thankful I got the chance to use it more than once this fall.

I’m thankful that zit I’ve had on my face for, like, two years finally popped. Told you some of these weren’t exactly profound. But seriously, I’m psyched about this one. For a while I thought I was just growing a permanent second chin.

I’m thankful for my bed. I never want to leave it.

I’m thankful for automatic magazine renewal systems. So easy, right? I hate getting the thing in the mail that’s like, “Your subscription is up, please go to this website and use this 62-digit bar code to log into your account and then enter your credit card information and give us your first-born child in order to renew your subscription.” No. Don’t want to do that. Renew it yourself. I’m too lazy. Thanks!

I’m thankful for my $7 headphones from PC Richards. They fail me time and time again — I go through at least four pair per training cycle — but I just can’t quit them.

My ears are too oddly small for cool-looking ear buds, so I’m sticking with the trendy headband style.

I’m thankful for David Beckham.

I’m thankful for David Beckham’s abs.

I’m thankful for David Beckham’s underwear ads.

I’m thankful to be spending a holiday in New Hampshire with the whole, newly-expanded Feller family.

It’s so relaxing and wonderful being here. I used to try to cram in a ton of activities whenever I’d visit. My mom and I would go outlet shopping and apple picking and we’d do a billion things in the 48 or so hours I’d be home.

But now?

Now we all sit in the living room for 48 hours, watching Tyler roll around and be hilarious. It’s straight-up blissful.

He’s grown so much since I saw him just three weeks ago. For example, he’s been working really hard on his baby yoga poses and he’s gotten so flexible!

Proud Auntie Ali, right here.

After a week of vacation and now a long weekend with family, I think I’ll be cruising into 2013 in a state of ultimate relaxation. (Remind me to re-read this statement right around December 22 when I haven’t booked my holiday travel or begun my holiday shopping.)

And of course, I’m thankful for my main little man, Tyler. He brings me joy every day. I love Skypeing with him, snuggling with him, bouncing with him and then handing him back to his parents when he craps himself. It’s perfect.

May as well keep this semi-short right? We do it every week. No need to kill the holiday with love-festing today.

Instead, you get back to your families food and I’ll get back to mine.

One final note…

I’m thankful to everyone — that’s you — who stops by to read Ali On The Run. I love your comments and the stories you share. I love when you tell me about your triumphs and your struggles and your PRs. It’s a wonderful little community we’ve built here, and you’re all invited over for a sleepover. Brian says it’s fine.

I’m grateful I get to hang out with all of you online all the time. Thank you for reading, thank you for supporting me and thank you for being a part of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. May your day be filled with gratitude, appreciation, parade and dog show-watching and, of course, so much gravy, stuffing and pie.

NOW DO WHAT YOU ALWAYS DO: Tell me what you’re thankful for on this very special day.