It’s true, the calendar is packed with days celebrating a special event or a good cause. But did you know our favorite sport, running, has its own World Day?! 😍🥳 Who would have thought? 🙌
World Running Day
World Running Day is celebrated every first Wednesday of June. This year, it falls on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
It has British roots. World Running Day has been celebrated since 2017 under the name “Global Running Day” during the first week of June.
Many apps and running clubs organize events and virtual races throughout the first week of June.
From seasoned athletes to total beginners, World Running Day is all about getting people moving, sharing the joy of the sport, and helping new runners discover running.
Right now, its impact matters more than ever. Running helps you keep a steady routine, improve your health and endurance, and lower stress and anxiety.
It’s the perfect day to encourage your friends and family to start running, or to start running with your dog! 😉
Now, let’s go back to the origins of running, all the way to today.
The origins of running
Even though humans have always run, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when running as a sport truly began.
The oldest legend tied to running goes back to Ancient Greece in 490 BC. You probably know it, but let me refresh your memory.
Pheidippides, a messenger, is sent to announce Athens’ victory after the war between the Athenians and the Persians. He sets off from Marathon to deliver the message to Athens, roughly forty kilometers away.
The messenger is said to have died from exhaustion right after delivering his news. A race at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 was created to honor his feat, the famous marathon. Since then, the official marathon distance has become 42.195 kilometers.
Around the same time, religious festivals in Egypt, Asia, and Africa included running, and athletic games were also held in England, Ireland, and Scotland.
From the 1970s onward, running took a new turn and became a sport for everyone, especially for better health, fitness, and feeling good day to day. It’s now a real lifestyle trend, and “jogging” and “running” have even joined “road running” in the dictionary.
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