There’s No Wrong Way to Celebrate Global Running Day – Runner’s World

Workout warriors have Track Tuesday, spectators and supporters come out on race day, and superfans light up the message boards after every major competition. But there’s only one day a year specifically designated for celebrating the sport of running and uniting everyone that loves it. Grab your running shoes and mark your calendars: June 5 is Global Running Day.

What started as National Running Day in the United States in 2009 has grown into an international movement. “Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving,” according to the official website. That could be a long run; it could be a walk around the block.

Under Armour

“I think of Global Running Day almost like Valentine’s Day,” says Jamaican Olympian Aisha Praught-Leer. “I love my partner every day, but on Valentine’s Day it’s just more special. I train every day—I often run twice a day—but Global Running Day is the one special day to run around with friends and feel part of a broader celebration.”

“One thing that makes running so special is that anybody from anywhere with any background can have a piece of it,” Praught-Leer says. “Running is booming everywhere and everybody can celebrate it.”

Making running truly available to everybody has been the mission for the District Running Collective (DRC) in Washington, D.C. One of the group’s founders, Matt “Mars” Green has witnessed first-hand how running can change lives, and he fully embraces setting aside a day to recognize that.

“No one really took ownership of running in the city [of Washington, D.C.],” Green says. “Our crew is a point of entry for a lot of non-runners. When you have a holiday [like Global Running Day], the attention to the topic is a lot stronger. It’s a way for us to join together and preach the gospel of running.”

Last year, DRC did so in a big way. With help from Under Armour, the crew rented a party space, hired a DJ, and celebrated the love of the run after everyone logged their miles.

“[Under Armour] created notes to give to your bosses to take off work and make time to run, which I thought was really cool,” Green says. The notes were a big hit on social media—good luck trying to get your boss to give you the day off, though!

This year, DRC will host a party in its new clubhouse and community service hub, the DRC Running Room. “We’re going to highlight a lot of our members to give them a voice to show people how important running has been to them and how it’s changed their lives,” Green says.

Across the Atlantic, elite trail runner Kelly Wolf will be gearing up for the Trail World Championships in Portugal on Global Running Day. “What’s more global than the world championships?” she says.

Running has been the pathway to exploration and adventure for Wolf’s entire life. “I think trail running in particular is such an intimate way to experience the world, powered by your own two feet and going places you couldn’t get to by any other means,” she says.

While Wolf sees every day as Global Running Day (“It’s not even a day if I didn’t run”), she loves the concept of the holiday.

“No matter where you go in the world, there are runners who share the same mentality of just loving running,” she says.

Here are a few ways to celebrate Global Running Day, as suggested by the pros who live and breathe the sport every day.

Praught-Leer believes in strength in numbers and sharing the love of running with friends.

“Send a text to your running friends—as many as you can possibly find. Find a place to meet and go for a run. Talk about what you love about running and follow that up with coffee and brunch, the true runner one-two punch,” she says. “And maybe throw in some strides at the end of your run just to celebrate running fast. You gotta.”

Wolf, the epitome of the solitary long-distance runner, offers a way to recognize Global Running Day for those who embrace running as a path to self-discovery:

“Running is an amazing means to help navigate the world, so for Global Running Day I think it would be extra inspiring for people to spend some time researching a trail or race somewhere else in the world that fascinates them or gets them really excited,” she says. “Not that they have to book a trip that day. Just be inspired by a global run, put it on the calendar as a future goal, and maybe that run will happen someday.”

If you happen to find yourself near D.C., plan to swing by the DRC Running Room. Since the space is new to the area, the club is using Global Running Day to show their new neighbors what they’re all about. Their regularly-scheduled Wednesday run will officially kick off a 30-day run challenge with Under Armour, followed by a party with a DJ, food, and giveaways.

Under Armour/District Running Collective

To discover even more ways to get involved and find events near you, visit GlobalRunningDay.org. The best part about Global Running Day is that no matter how you choose to celebrate running—with friends, family, pets, or alone with your thoughts—you’re a part of it just by lacing up and hitting the road. Of course, you’ll want to make sure to share your day-of activities on social media using #GlobalRunningDay to stay connected to other running revelers all around the world.

“The running world is huge, and through social media we can connect with everybody and see it instantly and just celebrate. That’s pretty incredible,” says Green. “Folks all over the world … share their experiences to our folks and give us great energy. It’s our own special community, a trusting community. We all just want to be better versions of ourselves.”

“Community is so important. One of my favorite things about running is that it is such a unifier,” says Praught-Leer. “And Global Running Day is the perfect holiday for all runners. I love it.”

Freelance Writer Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Runner’s World and the author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook.