"The Runner", also called simply "Runner", is a song written by Canadian rock musician Ian Thomas and released in 1981 on his album of the same name. Inspired by the story of Terry Fox, "The Runner" was covered by French singer Sheila later that year, but its most famous rendition was recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, a British band known for making hits of reworked cover songs, and released as a single in 1984, shortly before that year's Summer Olympics. The timing of the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version made it a success, and it reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Terrance Stanley Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Although the spread of his cancer eventually forced him to end his quest after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 mi), and ultimately cost him his life, his efforts resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over C$850 million has been raised in his name as of September 2022.