One Nation Running Together: National Running Day, Pt. 3

Having run in both the Boston Marathon and the New York Marathon, I am all too aware running's importance to these two cities. With their marathons reaching well over 30,000 participants each year (and tens of thousands more who want to run but either don't qualify or don't get in through the lottery system), Boston and New York are arguably the two biggest running towns in all of America. It only logically follows that, for tomorrow's National Running Day to truly be taken seriously, Boston's preeminent running organization, the Boston Athletic Association, and New York's flagship organization, the New York Road Runners Club, would have to be among the co-sponsors. And, indeed, they are.

Boston

Requiring men aged 18-34 to have completed a marathon in under 3:10 (2 hours and 31 minutes faster than Mario Lopez), women of the same age to have completed one in under 3:40 (2 hours and I minute faster than Mario Lopez) and men and women aged 70-74 to have completed one in under 4:30 (1 hour and 11 minutes faster than Mario Lopez) and 5:00 (41 minutes faster than Mario Lopez), respectively, to be eligible for the Boston Marathon, the Boston Athletic Association is no joke.

While it is a place for serious runners, it encourages people of all abilities to participate in running events (from casual runs to competitive races) and has done all they can to make National Running Day the excellent event it will be. "The B.A.A. is proud to be a partner in this national campaign to celebrate the sport of running and its role in leading a healthy lifestyle," said Boston Athletic Association Executive Director Guy Morse. "As caretakers of one of the sport's most preeminent events, we have seen how running can become more than a race and bring communities together. But even if someone will never qualify for the Boston Marathon, running can play an important role in the lives of all Americans."

Boston kicks off National Running Day at 7:00am with the "Wang YMCA of Chinatown, 7am Run!" followed by the 12:00pm "Jamaica Pond" run. At 1:10pm, the festivities will venture out of the Boston area and head to Springfield, Massachusetts for the "National Running Day At Beal". Finally, Boston runners will be able to conclude the day's events around the world's most (in)famous (and arguably, the best) place of higher learning. Surrounded by Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 6:30pm (though there is a special warm-up session beginning at 6:00pm), runners will be able to participate in the "New England Mini Track Meet" which is being co-sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association and the USA Track & Field Association.

New York

In the 'city that never sleeps', it is only appropriate that New York will celebrate National Running Day with non-stop running events throughout the day.

As the organizer/gatekeeper of the New York City Marathon, NYRR is known by any mildly serious New York City runner. From the Jesus Ygnacio Dominguez sculpture of Fred Lebow, NYRR's president for 20 years during the 70s and 80s as well as the founder of the city marathon, that greets all runners at the 91st Street entrance to Central Park to its countless races throughout the calendar year, NYRR is a model upon which many running clubs in the nation have been built. While I am certainly very biased, I think most people would agree that any National Running Day would need to be at least co-sponsored by NYRR before any serious planning could begin. And, just like it is during the rest of the year, the New York Road Runners Club will be front and center in New York's running affairs to jump-start the city's (and state's) day of running.

Beginning at 10:30am at Icahn Stadium with the "Mighty Milers Fun Run/Walk", NYRR will play host to a total of 8 running events throughout the day ending with the "TFK Young Professionals Central Park Group Run and Happy Hour!" at 6:30pm in Central Park.

Not surprisingly however, the running events don't stop with NYRR itself. There are, in fact, well over 20 organized runs throughout New York State which are available to people of all ages and abilities organized by persons other than those affiliated with NYRR. At 7:30am, Brooklyn residents can partake in the "Just For Fun Morning Run" at the Ebbets Field Middle School. Students at PS 166 will head to Central Park at 3:40pm to take part in the "PS 166 Mighty Milers". Finally, as the last runner crosses the finish line in the "Front Runners New York Wednesday Night Fun Run" beginning at 7:00pm, again, in Central Park, the city that never sleeps may take its first rest of the day. But not before thousands of people both inside the city and outside its borders have run even more thousands of miles. Not before a nation has come together like never before (or not in the last many years) and has collectively shown their respects to the runners who ran before them.

National Running Day promises to be a day of running and remembrance. Of stride, sweat and solidarity. Of health and hills. But, most importantly, National Running Day will hopefully not be the last of its kind.