FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hosting a National Running Day Event on Wednesday, June 3?
Post It Online at www.runningday.org
Group runs, training events, and kid runs
highlight inaugural National Running Day
New York, May 22, 2009—In celebration of the inaugural National Running
Day, running organizations and enthusiasts alike are planning local events
on Wednesday, June 3, to encourage Americans of all ages and fitness levels
to lace up their shoes, go for a run, and invite a friend to join them. Now
is the time for everyone, everywhere to take the first step toward
incorporating running as a part of a daily routine.
From a 16-hour run/walk challenge in Creswell, OR, 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.
Users can 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.
The foremost road racing and track and field organizations from major U.S.
cities have also been planning National Running Day activities to promote
running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise. Highlights
include:
- Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue will issue Atlanta Track Club 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, 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, 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, OR—otherwise known as "Track Town USA"— 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.
About National Running Day
National Running Day is an initiative whereby many of the major
organizations within the United States running industry are joining forces
in an unprecedented, unified effort to nationally and locally promote
running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise. The inaugural
National Running Day will be on Wednesday, June 3. From New York to San
Diego, the day will celebrate the benefits of running as part of a healthy
and active lifestyle aimed at combating some of today's most pressing
health issues. For more information, visit www.runningday.org.
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