Winter Staycation: The ‘Happy Run’ continues to offer walkers and runners a way to get outside

In a world with plenty of changes for small businesses who rely on in-person gatherings for their bread and butter, Palmer businesswoman Anne Thomas has worked to keep at least one community event as consistent as possible: the Monday evening Happy Run.

Thomas operates three businesses out of the Koslosky Building in downtown Palmer -- Aktive Body Downtown Gym, located in the basement, Aktive Soles Performance Footwear, found on floor one, and Body in Balance Physical Therapy on floor two. While all of those businesses were forced to shut down for events and clients over portions of the pandemic, it was perhaps the temporary Aktive Soles’ Monday evening gathering of Palmer runners and walkers that was felt most by Valley outdoor users.

For several years the Happy Run operated with a simple plan: runners and walkers gathered at Aktive Soles at 6 p.m on Monday evenings, followed one of two routes through Palmer and then met back up at the Palmer Ale House at 7 p.m. for food and a raffle. Amid shutdowns that gathering was no longer possible. But as soon as restrictions lifted, Thomas worked with her employees to adapt the event into a safe way for participants to see familiar faces once more and get moving.

The result has been a once again consistent way for locals to get out, experience Palmer and seek health.

“We would like to keep doing it as much as we can for the consistency of having something that people can go to, get themselves outside on a Monday night and keep that community,” she said.

While her businesses are now open again with few changes, the free Happy Run event still looks a little different than it did this time last year. Until the rate of the pandemic slows, the post-run dinner gathering at the Ale House is on hold. Instead runners and walkers can start at Aktive Soles at 6 p.m., tackle one of the two designated routes, and drop back by the store when they are done to enter the raffle before heading home. The winner of the raffle will be announced on Facebook later that evening.

Thomas said her goal is to keep people active and engaged throughout the winter.

“As a physical therapist our slogan is “get active, stay active,” and we see too many people who have stopped being active and are dealing with the consequences,” she said “I feel like at a very deep level of my heart it’s my commitment to people.”

To assist with keeping active over the winter despite icy road conditions, Thomas stocks her shoe store with a variety of studded shoes and grips designed to make running and walking as safe as possible. Paired with visibility vests, handlamps and warm socks, all also sold by the store, Thomas hopes they can outfit and enable residents of all ages to head outdoors all winter long on both Monday nights and otherwise.