World Run Day
Founded in 1999 by Long Island runner Bill McDermott, the event is intended to promote the sport of running and charitable giving on one special day each year. Started with just one hundred participants worldwide, runners connected and impacted their communities in a positive way. As a result, World Run Day was the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths, nationalities, and benefitted their favorite charity. Soon group events formed in different cities such as Philadelphia, London, Sydney, etc. The event was designed to allow every runner, whether with a group or running individually, to be a part of the day.
World Run Day's Mission Statement
Since 1999, thousands of people in hundreds of cities worldwide have united their passion for fitness with their desire to help others on World Run Day — an international day of running and charitable giving. Participants around the globe are encouraged to participate and donate to their favorite charity. Event Directors and volunteers are requested to host events in locations worldwide. Participants are asked to run — any distance, anywhere — in organized events, small groups, or individually in the Virtual Run.
World Run Day's programs and activities are guided by the following goals:
Promote Running — World Run Day works with partner organizations to promote the health benefits of running for all citizens young and old. Recent emphasis has been placed on running as a solution to end childhood obesity.
Promote Charitable Giving — World Run Day is committed to having an international day of charitable giving thru its running event. In many instances there is a lack of funding to help unfortunate people and their circumstances. The running community can help others, such as hungy children, while also celebrating the benefits of running.
Mobilize the Running Community — World Run Day reaches out to partners in the running community that hope to elevate the sport of running in their community while also promoting the benefits of running and providing locations for people to run locally.
Create Event Director Tools — World Run Day creates tools for local event directors to use (free of charge) which help produce a World Run Day event in their location. World Run Day also provides links to other resources that can benefit the event director.
