Wednesday's National Running Day!

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's a beautiful day in Seattle on the shores of Lake Washington and Seward Park, my favorite running venue--too bad I can't participate in National Running Day due to chronic issues with my Achilles tendons which have plagued me for the last several years, and have forced me to re-evaluate the sport as a lifestyle activity.

For the rest of you out there, here's the USA Track & Field release announcing Wednesday June 3rd as National Running Day.

As 2004 Olympic 100m hurdles champion Joanna Hayes says, "Get out and get your run on!"

Everyone across the U.S. is invited to participate in the first-ever National Running Day on Wednesday, June 3, where running will be celebrated as a healthy, easy and accessible form of exercise. National Running Day is an initiative that promotes the benefits of running as part of a healthy and active lifestyle aimed at combating some of today's most pressing health issues.


Through a grassroots effort, the foremost road racing and track and field organizations from major U.S. cities--including New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, Eugene and San Diego-in addition to national running organizations USA Track & Field and Running USA, are encouraging Americans of all ages and fitness levels to get out and run by hosting a variety of National Running day activities, including professional athlete appearances, free running events, group runs and clinics.


From a 16-hour run/walk challenge in Creswell, Ore., that begins at 4:30 a.m., to a 1,000-kid Mighty Milers Fun Run/Walk at Icahn Stadium in New York City, to a post-work Family Night event (complete with Texas BBQ) in San Antonio, the day will celebrate the benefits of running as part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Additionally, nearly 5,000 people have already committed to individually participating via the "Will You Run National Running Day?" Facebook page.


Interested parties may post their events and search for events at www.runningday.org (click on Participate to create an event and view listings). If there isn't an event scheduled in a specific area, all runners are invited to create their own. No event is too big or too small to be recognized as a National Running Day initiative.

Highlights of National Running Day around the USA:


Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue will issue Atlanta Track Club (ATC) executive director Tracey Russell a proclamation declaring June 3 National Running Day in Georgia. Additionally, the ATC will host at least seven group runs of various distances throughout the day in metro Atlanta.

* The Chicago Area Runners Association will host a post-work event along Lake Michigan.

* Houston Mayor Bill White will officially proclaim June 3 Houston Running Day at a City Council meeting on June 2.

* In Indianapolis, a representative of Governor Mitch Daniels will present USA Track & Field CEO Doug Logan with a proclamation at an event at the Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis track with IUPUI's day campers and children from all over the city. Local Olympians Bob Kennedy and Joann Grissom will also participate in the event, which is free and open to the public.

* The Little Rock Marathon is hosting a free early-morning National Running Day Fun Run/Walk, followed by continental breakfast.

* Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Mayor RT Rybak of Minneapolis and Chris Coleman of St. Paul will sign state and city proclamations announcing June 3 as Minnesota Running Day in conjunction with National Running Day. A series of six evening group runs around the city will feature appearances from Team USA Minnesota runners.

* In New York City, Olympians Deena Kastor and Lornah Kiplagat will host the Mighty Milers Fun Run/Walk, an event at Icahn Stadium with approximately 1,000 kids from Manhattan and the Bronx. Additionally, the New York Road Runners will host group runs in all five boroughs and runners stations in Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Kastor and Kiplagat will lead the Central Park group run on Wednesday evening.

* In Eugene, Ore.-otherwise known as "Track Town USA"- The Oregon Track Club will hold an evening National Running Day community run. Local Olympians will join in the event, which is free and open to the public.

* The Marine Corps Marathon will host a one-mile run on the National Mall, starting and finishing at the Lincoln Memorial. Runners will include local elected officials like Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, area running club presidents and running store representatives, Marines, local journalists, and other race directors.

* The Boston Athletic Association and USA Track & Field - New England have invited runners and non-runners alike to have the opportunity to run at 6-minute per mile pace with running icon and four-time Boston Marathon champion Bill Rodgers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's outdoor track facility in Cambridge, Mass.

For more information on National Running Day, visit: www.runningday.org.