June 4 — World Running Day: the history and traditions of the sports festival

In June, athletes from different countries celebrate World Running Day, dedicated to one of the most popular sports. Read about how this holiday originated and what a novice runner should consider in the Izvestia article.

World Running Day in 2025: date, history

World Running Day is celebrated annually on the first Wednesday of June. In 2025, it falls on June 4th.

Running is one of the most popular and accessible sports in the world. It does not require special equipment, the purchase of expensive gym tickets or a suitable room. To go out for a run, it is enough to get suitable shoes, comfortable clothes and plan a route. The rest is a matter of habit and self—discipline.

In 2009, American athletes began celebrating National Running Day in order to attract as many people as possible to an active lifestyle. The holiday quickly gained popularity in the United States, and in June 2016, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed making it an international event — World Running Day.

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The initiative received support in major US cities, and a year later the International Association of Athletics Federations joined it. Since then, every first Wednesday in June, professional athletes and ordinary running enthusiasts come to parks and stadiums to chat with like-minded people and set new records.

The main goal of World Running Day is to popularize this sport, strengthen running communities among both professionals and amateurs, as well as spread knowledge about the rules of safe jogging and the principles of a healthy lifestyle.

World Running Day in 2024 — traditions

Traditionally, the holiday is celebrated with a variety of races: marathons, cross-country races, relay races, fun starts and other sporting events. Sometimes the organizers add humorous elements: participants run in inflatable costumes, with full beer glasses in their hands, with children, wives or friends on their backs. There are separate starts for children and teenagers with characters from fairy tales and cartoons.

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Anyone can take part in the celebration — it's enough to go outside and run any distance. For those who want to celebrate their athletic achievements and share them with other running fans, there is an official website for World Running Day. You can register your race on it, indicating the location and length of the route.

Since 2018, the "Overtaking the Sun" campaign has also been held on International Running Day. Its essence lies in the fact that many runners simultaneously run a distance of about 1.6 km (one mile), symbolically passing the baton to the next time zone along the course of the sun, as if trying to overtake the luminary. The race starts in Japan and ends in the USA.

World Running Day in 2024 — what a novice runner needs to know

Like any other sport, running requires a responsible attitude and careful preparation for classes. Before starting training, it is recommended to be examined by a doctor and make sure that there are no contraindications: diseases of the cardiovascular system, lungs, as well as lower extremities and joints.

It is important to choose the right running shoes. Running shoes with good cushioning and foot fixation are best suited. They should not squeeze, dangle on the leg and restrict movement.

It is worth paying attention to the road in the place where the training is planned. The best option for novice athletes is a stadium with a special coating and markings. If there is no such thing nearby, you should give preference to dirt paths or earth. Running on asphalt puts too much stress on the joints, which can negatively affect their health.

Before starting a run, it is necessary to warm up. You need to run at a comfortable pace. It's easy to define it — if you can keep up a conversation while running, it means that the body is working in acceptable conditions for itself. In the first month of training, it is recommended to alternate running with walking and not exercise for more than 30 minutes.

In addition, it is important to give yourself time to rest. Therefore, you should not run more than 3-4 times a week.

Earlier, Izvestia told how World Bicycle Day is celebrated in Russia and other countries.