Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

It’s National Running Day! Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know about it (or buy me a gift)—this is the inaugural holiday. But what’s it all about and how can you celebrate?

National Running Day is a national grassroots initiative launched by many of the major organizations in the running community to nationally and locally promote running as a healthy, easy and accessible form of exercise. From San Diego to New York, the day celebrates the benefits of running as part of an active lifestyle aimed at combating some of today’s most worrisome health issues.

Well-known road racing and track and field organizations from major U.S. cities, as well as 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. Activities include professional athlete appearances, free running events, group runs and clinics.

You can join the festivities by simply going for a run today. After your run, log on to the Web site and visit its social media resources to download an “I’m a Runner/I Ran Today” Facebook button, interact with other runners and find more information. The site includes information on local community events with running clubs and retailers, course-mapping tools and training tips.

Not a runner? The organizers stress that there are no minimum requirements for participating in National Running Day. Today, it’s just about getting moving. Running or walking once around an outdoor track or your block is an easy way to take part. And if you’re interested in becoming a runner, the site offers some guidelines for beginners.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 7:54 am and is filed under Running. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.