Any D.C. resident who has put on a pair of running shoes and ventured out his or her front door knows that Washington is one of the best cities for runners. The editors of Runner’s World magazine agree. In a recent article on MSN, Washington is ranked the fifth best city for running.

According to the editors:

Yes, the capital leads our 25 cities in percentage of park area, but local runners get pumped by variety, not acreage. You want historical? Do the Mall run. Need hill work? Head to Rock Creek Park. Crave rustic and residential? There’s the three-mile Glover Archibald Park, with woods, gardens, creeks — and a finish in swanky Georgetown.

Variety is right. Running routes crisscross the city and suburbs. Each weekend, multiple road races take place on area streets and trails. And numerous running clubs and stores give runners a place to train and socialize.

Many D.C. runners are currently training for some of the area’s popular late summer and fall races (all of which filled up their available slots in a matter of days), such as the Annapolis 10-Miler, the Army 10-Miler, and the Marine Corps Marathon. This year’s Marine Corps Marathon nearly doubled the size of its field to 30,000 runners, in honor of the race’s 30th anniversary, and still filled up in fewer than three days. But there are also some smaller-scale races that we here at DCist are partial to, including the DC Road Runners Club National Capital 20 Miler, the Capitol Hill Classic 10K, the St. Patrick’s Day 10K, the always-inspiring National Race for the Cure, and the D.C. Road Runner’s Club Turkey Trot 5 mile race.

Where do you get your run on, readers?