Happy National Running Day Everyone!

Today is the second annual National Running Day, as declared by a constellation of national running organizations, including Twin Cities In Motion, the organizer of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, and Team USA Minnesota, the Twin Cities-based elite long distance training group.

Activities are planned across the metropolitan area to celebrate running and promote exercise and a healthier lifestyle.

Life Time Fitness in St. Louis Park and Highland Park, Marathon Sports in Minneapolis, and the Running Room on Grand Avenue in St. Paul have partnered with TCM and Team USA Minnesota ton host group runs tonight at 6:00 p.m. Team USA Minnesota athletes will be on hand at each venue for the runs.

National Running Day organizers note that running in the United States has overcome tough economic times by posting another year of record participation with more than 10 million runners finishing a U.S. road race in 2009 according to Running USA.

Avid runners, they note, compose an educated, affluent market with 79 percent earning college diplomas and 73 percent reporting an annual household income of more than $75,000 according to a recent National Runners Survey.

Marathons across the country are seeing record sold out fields with 467,000 estimated finishers across the country last year. To date, 2010 looks as promising with sold-out marathons at Walt Disney World, Chevron Houston, Honda LA, the 114th Boston, Bank of America Chicago and November’s ING New York City marathon.