Pledging Now Open for Global Running Day and Million Kid Run on June 7

                                                                                                 

Runners of all ages and abilities can pledge to take part in the day via GlobalRunningDay.org

 

May 8, 2017—Pledging for Global Running Day and the second annual Million Kid Run on June 7 is now open on GlobalRunningDay.org. Runners of all ages and abilities can pledge to run on June 7 and add their name to the list of people from all over the world who are coming together to celebrate the sport on Global Running Day.

The second annual Million Kid Run, which aims to have a million kids around the world pledge to run on June 7, will once again be the centerpiece of Global Running Day. The Million Kid Run is about making fitness fun and inspiring kids to embrace running as a way to get moving and stay healthy. From a school administrator pledging students, to a youth coach pledging their running team, to a parent pledging their child, kids around the world will come together to celebrate the power and benefits of running and fitness. Participation is easy and can include any activity from a solo lap around the block to a game of tag with your kids.

Last year, more than 2.5 million people from 177 countries, including nearly 700,000 kids, pledged to run 9.2 million miles on Global Running Day. The day received more than one billion impressions on social media, with running activities taking place across the globe from New Zealand to New York. In 2017, an emotional component will be added to pledging, asking people to share why they are running and taking part in the day.

Many of the world’s top professional runners will be serving as role models and inspirations for today’s youth, including eight-time Olympic champion and the world’s fastest man, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.  “I’m happy to support Global Running Day and encourage young people all over the world to run on June 7,” Bolt said. “From those who run to win races to those who walk, jog or run to improve their health and fitness, physical exercise is extremely important for people of all ages.”

Seventeen-time Paralympic medalist Tatyana McFadden, who was recently crowned as the first-ever winner of Abbott World Marathon Majors’ wheelchair series, is also serving as a massive supporter of Global Running Day by inspiring the next generation of elite wheelchair racers.

“Global Running Day is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages and abilities around the world to fall in love with the sport of running, and for us professional athletes to inspire kids to take the pledge to get moving,” McFadden said. “It doesn’t matter where or when you run, as long as you are taking part in some sort of physical activity to improve your health and fitness, that’s what counts.”

Running organizations and groups, individuals, school administrators, coaches, and parents can visit GlobalRunningDay.org to pledge, explore group runs and other events happening around the world, and find information on running activities for all people of all ages and abilities. The world is welcome to engage with Global Running Day socially by using the #GlobalRunningDay hashtag and creating a customized Global Running Day bib. Global Running Day toolkits for events, communications and social media are also available on the website.

 About Global Running Day

Global Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day for people around the world to celebrate the joys of running. It is a worldwide celebration of the sport, and a way for runners of all ages and abilities to share their passion for running and inspire others to get moving. The Million Kid Run on Global Running Day aims to get young people moving. The goal is to have a million kids around the world pledge to run on June 7, 2017. The Million Kid Run is about making fitness fun, and inspiring kids to embrace running as a way to get healthy and fit. Global Running Day is a collaborative effort of the most prominent running organizations around the world, with many of the top professional runners helping to share their passion for the sport with the global running community.