National Running Day in Denver

Today is National Running Day, so why not celebrate by running over to Fun City for a day of bowling, miniature golf, laser tag, go-karts and arcade games?

June 5, 2013, marks the fifth annual National Running Day celebration. The "holiday" first started in 2009 when several running organizations joined together to celebrate an exercise both inexpensive and easy to engage in. Some of the organizations that helped jumpstart the holiday include Running USA, the Little Rock Marathon, New York Road Runners, USA Track and Field and the Boston Athletic Association.

In honor of the holiday, the official National Running Day Facebook page sponsors several contests for its fans, with giveaways including National Running Day hats.

For those of you who live in the Denver area, there are several ways to celebrate. There are two different free running events, both called Fun Runs, at 6pm this evening. One is at the Boulder Running Company, located on Pearl Street, and the other is at the Runner's Roost on Colorado Boulevard.

After your run, there are ways to help your body recover. Research has shown that eating tart cherries or drinking dark cherry juice helps people who are training for long-distance running. The reason is because the cherries are believed to have anti-inflammatory content, more than any other food!