The crisp morning air, the feeling of the pavement beneath your feet, and the rhythmic running pace as you go. Your neck is sweaty, the sun shining on your skin, and your lungs are bursting with joy as your heart beats in sync with your running legs.

This is the joy and pleasure of running. Every year, millions of people around the globe run on the open roads, experiencing the joy, the thrill and the pain of recreational running.

Global Running Day is a celebration of these brave souls. We should all be there to support them.

Running refers to a specific gait of movement in which both feet touch the ground at one point during a stride. Running does not always happen at the same speed. Gaits can vary from one person to another. Running can be done in two speeds: sprinting or jogging. But it doesn’t really matter how fast you run, as long as you are running!

Humans couldn’t run in all circumstances, believe it or not. It was not the norm, but it was possible. Our first upright ancestor, Australopithecus, evolved almost 4.5 million years ago. We were able to run a long stride nearly when we developed. Because we were a species, this stride was essential to our existence. Persistence hunting, which involves tracking and wearing down prey until it can no longer escape, is a form of hunting that requires walking for days.

We’ve been running for millions of years and it has been a while since we had to chase our prey. Despite this, we haven’t lost our ability to race and instead made it a contest. Global Running Day is a celebration of all aspects of running. It celebrates what running meant to our ancestors as well as what it means to us today. This day is intended to bring people together who love running and encourage others to get out there and give it another go.

Running is great for your health. You don’t have to be an expert in science to understand that it is. Running is an excellent form of exercise. It increases blood flow, heart rate, burns calories, and improves your physical health. Running can not only help you lose weight and improve your fitness, but it can also help with your mental health by helping you meditate in motion, reduce stress, and lower anxiety.

You don’t have to quit running if you’ve ever tried it before and found it difficult. Marathon runners are not born with the ability to run marathons. If you have never run before, you should be realistic about your expectations. Start with an App such as the Couch to 5K. This app will guide you through running and walking in short intervals, until you are able to run 5 km without stopping.

Global Running Day can only be celebrated by running. No matter if you have ever run before or not, just put on your running shoes and get outside. It doesn’t matter how far you run, or how often you walk to catch your breath. Running is an adaptable sport that can be scaled to suit everyone’s abilities. The most important thing is to start.

Start slow and go for the distance. You may decide to increase your pace or extend your run as you feel more confident.