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Gratitude Miles: Why Slowing Down Might Be Exactly What You Need Right Now
- Kate Mihevc Edwards PT, DPT
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Let’s talk about something runners hate to admit or acknowledge: you don’t have to earn your rest, and you don’t have to push to make it count.
Late fall is full of mixed energy. Some runners are racing. Some are in that weird limbo between seasons. Some are burned out and pretending they’re not. And a lot of people are wondering why they feel tired, unfocused, or “off” especially when the weather finally got nice.
If you’re deep in fatigue, mentally over it, or recovering from injury or stress, now is the perfect time for gratitude miles.
Not “easy runs” you hate every second of.
Not “I should do this” slogs.
Not punishment loops around the neighborhood.
Gratitude miles are intentional, slow, and meant to bring you back to your body, not break it down.
The Case for Slowing Down
We talk a lot about performance. Cadence. Power. VO2 max. But none of that means anything if you’re mentally fried or running on a nervous system that’s tapped out.
There’s growing research that psychological stress increases the risk of injury in athletes and it’s not just because you’re distracted. High stress impacts recovery, tissue healing, sleep, and even coordination. Runners under consistent stress also tend to report more non-traumatic injuries, often because their form subtly changes when fatigue or anxiety takes over.
Translation?
That nagging Achilles pain might not be from your shoes. It might be from the fact that you’re not mentally or emotionally present when you run. This is where gratitude miles come in.
What Are Gratitude Miles?
Gratitude miles are slower runs or walks without data, without pressure focused on what your body can do, not what it’s not doing fast enough. They can be solo. They can be short. You can run-walk. You can just walk.
It’s not about logging miles. It’s about reconnecting with the reasons you move in the first place.
If you’re coming off injury, fighting burnout, or just navigating life chaos, these runs are where your body starts to feel safe again.
How to Actually Do It
Ditch the watch: Turn off your GPS or run tech-blind. This is not the time for splits.
Notice your body: What feels strong? What feels tight? Don’t judge it just notice.
Practice presence: Pick something to pay attention to your breath, your foot strike, the color of the leaves, the cold air in your lungs.
Use meditation or yoga to bookend it: In the RUNsource App, we’ve got guided meditations and short restorative yoga flows. Do one before or after your run to help reset your system.
Repeat as needed: This isn’t a one-and-done fix. Gratitude takes practice, especially for runners trained to grind.
You’re Not Falling Behind, You’re Rebuilding
Let’s stop acting like slowing down is a step back. In reality, it’s one of the most effective ways to actually stay healthy.
Slowing down:
Lowers your injury risk
Helps your brain and body recover
Rebuilds your relationship with movement
Supports hormonal and nervous system regulation (yes, really)
And if you’ve been in the injury cycle for a while, gratitude miles are often the first runs that actually feel good again. That alone is worth showing up for.
You don’t have to be grateful for everything your body’s done this year. But you can be grateful for what it’s doing now. For showing up. For moving at all. For giving you another chance to rebuild.
Let the gratitude miles be enough.
And if you need a nudge—download the RUNsource App. You’ll find short yoga classes, meditations, and movement that supports rest, not just more output. We built it for moments like this.
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