Coming up on June 1: National Running Day. There probably won’t be fireworks, special decorations, or party favors, because most of us runners prefer to “celebrate” by, well, running. (We tend to be single-minded like that.) Nothing fancy, just the road. Or the trail. Maybe a buddy or two who can keep up or push us to go faster or longer.
But it’s also a chance to fly the running flag and encourage others to take it up.
Throughout May, Dick’s Sporting Goods has been promoting National Runners’ Month, offering special deals in its stores, sponsoring running events, and donating more than $25,000 to Action for Healthy Kids to help end childhood obesity. They’ve also had running superstars Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall, and Dean Karnazes out on the road as “ambassadors” to help promote an active lifestyle.
On Friday, I talked with Dean about it. Our conversation lingered, mostly, on his recently completed run across America, as we compared notes on recovery, how the effort affects family, and the sites across the United States.
People who don’t run will see this picture of me with a tire drag and wonder what the hell I’m doing. But if you’re a runner, I bet you recognize this contraption and have wondered how to set one up for yourself.
He wouldn’t hesitate to admit that he’s not the first, nor that quite a few others are engaged in the same pursuit right now — see USACrossers.com for a complete list. Dean Karnazes wasn’t going for a record, either, but instead running to raise awareness of childhood obesity. Still, it’s a relatively small crowd who’ve gone this distance. Since the early 1900s, the 
