#NationalRunningDay

…because it’s the closest thing to flying. (I love saying that!)

And because I can, thanks to my long, successful recovery from hip impingement.

I celebrated this glorious day with a brisk 3.5-mile run in my local park before heading off to work this morning. It was perfect running weather in Northern New Jersey, where I reside: sunny skies, no wind and around 55 degrees. A marathoner’s dream!

Today marks the seventh annual National Running Day; it’s held on the first Wednesday of every June. If they can have a National Doughnut Day (on June 5th) or a Banana Split Day (on Aug. 25th, my birthday), why not draw attention to something that keeps millions of people fit and sane.

A coalition of running groups, including the New York Road Runners, the Boston Athletic Association, and the U.S.A. Track and Field created this event, which features a slew of activities organized around the country by running clubs. You can learn more by checking out the Running Day site.

I was heartbroken when I had to give up running for awhile after injuring myself while training for the New York City marathon in the summer of 2011 (it would’ve been my 10th marathon), and then undergoing two arthroscopic hip surgeries to repair torn labrums caused by hip impingement, followed by months of much-needed physical therapy.

I am thrilled that I have returned to the sport that I adore, though not to the same extent as before my hip injuries. Instead of running every day, I now run just three days a week. Instead of seven- or eight-minute miles, I’m doing 10.  But it works for me, and for that I am grateful.

Happy Running Day!