Places:
* The boys ran home.
* The boys ran to the park.
* The boys ran towards the river.
Things:
* The boys ran a race.
* The boys ran away from the dog.
* The boys ran for their lives.
Abstract Concepts:
* The boys ran into danger.
* The boys ran on errands.
* The boys ran with excitement.
Other Nouns:
* The boys ran a marathon.
* The boys ran the bases.
* The boys ran the gauntlet.
The best noun to use will depend on the context of the sentence and the story you are trying to tell.