New York, May 26, 2021 – New York Road Runners (NYRR) today announced its virtual experiences for Global Running Day on June 2, a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone of all ages and abilities to get out and run. Global Running Day is held annually on the first Wednesday in June, uniting runners around the world through events, activations and virtual experiences.

As part of these efforts, NYRR will host a variety of digital engagements for runners at all levels, including a one-mile virtual race, the Virtual NYRR Global Running Day 1M. Leading the race will be Olympic medalist and 2009 New York City Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi, who will run his 1-mile course, through his hometown of Tampa, FL. Additionally, NYRR will host a virtual youth race, online senior fitness classes, and a virtual challenge for local runners to encourage them to visit their neighborhood parks.

“I’m so excited to be celebrating Global Running Day, one of my favorite days of the year, with a run with my family, and virtually with thousands of other runners from around the world,” said Keflezighi, the only athlete to earn an Olympic medal and win both the New York City and Boston marathons. “I have gained so much from the sport of running, and I look forward to sharing it’s transformative power with others from every corner of the globe, especially as we can all benefit from a physical and mental health boost now more than ever.”

“Global Running Day serves as an annual celebration that brings together runners from all over the world to share their passion for the sport,” said Kerin Hempel, Interim CEO, NYRR. “Running is loved by people of all ages and all backgrounds, and this day exemplifies the unifying nature of running and the positive impact it makes across the global running community.” Runners of all ages can take part in

Global Running Day in the following ways:

• Virtual NYRR Global Running Day 1M
  Virtual races allow runners anywhere in the world to run a race at their convenience in the location of their choice over a specified period of time. Registration for the NYRR Virtual Global Running Day 1M is now open, and runners can participate from June 1 through June 6.
• Rising New York Road Runners Global Running Day Virtual Race
  Kids can join in on the Global Running Day festivities by registering for the Rising New York Road Runners Global Running Day Virtual Race. Kids of all ages can pledge to run a 1-mile, 1.5-mile or 5K distance between June 1 and June 6.
• NYRR Open Run Global Running Day Virtual Challenge
  For those in the greater NYC area, the NYRR Open Run Global Running Day Virtual Challenge encourages runners and walkers to get to know their local parks by participating in the 4-week challenge to run a collective 90 miles, happening now through June 16.
• NYRR Striders at Home
  NYRR Striders, the organization’s year-round senior fitness program, has developed an online platform to support seniors and their families and caregivers, keeping them active from the safety of their homes. NYRR Striders at Home aims to improve attitudes toward exercise while making fitness more accessible. All the activities are mindful of space and social distancing.

Around the world, running organizations are putting on celebrations to bring people together through running, many of which can be found on GlobalRunningDay.org.

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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR’s mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, virtual races, community events, free youth running initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR’s premier event, and the largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features a wide population of runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.