Road running
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road (as opposed to track and cross country running). These events normally range from 5 km to long distance, such as half marathons and marathons, and may involve large numbers of runners or wheelchair entrants. Road running is part of group of road events known as "road races".
Road running may offer those involved a range of challenges and interests such as dealing with hills, sharp bends, varied surfaces, inclement weather, and involvement in a large group. Aerobic fitness, or the ability of the body to use oxygen, is important to help complete the long distance. Anaerobic fitness, the body's ability to respond when there isn't enough oxygen for the muscle, is helpful when encountering hills and providing energy for a sprint at the finish.
Running on roads, rather than dirt or grass, puts some stress on the knees and lower back, though it can provide an easy, even and fast surface, and puts less strain on the Achilles tendon[1].
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[edit] Courses
Race courses are usually held on the streets of major cities and towns but they could be on any road. Most road races are either 5 km (3.1 miles), 10 km (6.2 miles), half-marathon (21.097 km, 13.1 miles), or marathon (42.195 km, 26.2 miles), but non-standard distances are also used. The "Round the Bays" run in Auckland, New Zealand is 8.4 km (5.2 miles), the Falmouth Road Race in Falmouth, Cape Cod is 7.1 miles long, San Francisco's "Bay to Breakers" is 12 km (7.46 miles); "City to Surf" in Sydney, Australia is 14 km, Honolulu's "Great Aloha Run" is 8.15 miles (13.12 km), and the "Charleston Distance Run" in Charleston, West Virginia is 15 miles (24.14 km).
[edit] Ultrarunning
Running that covers a distance farther than a marathon is called ultrarunning; the event is an ultramarathon. Such events can be measured in distance (for example, 100 kilometers) or by time (whoever has run the farthest after 24 hours). Examples include the London to Brighton run in England which is just over 54 miles (87.085 km), the Comrades Marathon run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in South Africa which is about 89 km (55.3 miles), and the Badwater Ultramarathon between Death Valley and Mount Whitney in the United States which is 135 miles (215 km).
[edit] Multiday running
Beyond the ultramarathon lie the multiday and stage races. These events include current events such as the Self-Transcendence 6 & 10 day and 3100 mile races in New York, Trans-America, Trans-Gaul, Trans-Korea, Trans-Europe race and the cross Germany race - the Deutschlandlauf. In these events runners have to complete as many miles as possible in the given time limit - the go-as-you-please style or have to complete a given distance in a set time such as the daily stages of the trans-country races where cut-offs are enforced.
[edit] Participation
Road running is unique among athletic events because in many cases first time amateurs are welcome to participate in the same event as members of running clubs and even current world-class champions. Though often race times are recorded manually by race organizers, sometimes road races feature electronic timing using transponders.
Road races are often community-wide events that highlight or raise money for an issue or project. In the USA, Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure is held nationwide to raise breast cancer awareness. This race is also run in Germany, Italy and Puerto Rico. Similarly, Race for Life holds races throughout the UK to raise money for Cancer Research. First person "race reports" frequently appear on the Dead Runners Society electronic mailing list.
[edit] Governing body
Professional road racing's governing body is the IAAF. Competitors from around the world participate in what is dubbed the "elite" races for cash prizes. Kenyans and Ethiopians are renowned for their skill and it is rare for a race's top finishers not to include competitors from these countries.
