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Racewalking is an athletics event in which the object is simply to walk fast. The sport has been around for about 400 years, has been in the Olympics since 1908, and is literally the precursor of modern long-distance running.
THE TWO RULES OF RACEWALKING
There are two technical rules in racewalking. In simple terms, to be legal, a racewalker must
1. maintain contact with the ground at all times, and
2. keep the knee of the supporting leg straight from the moment of foot contact with the ground until the leg passes under the body.
During walking races, certified judges position themselves on the race course to observe the racewalkers. When, in the opinion of three different judges, a walker violates either of these two rules, the walker is disqualified and removed from the race. (It is important to note that judging is "by the human eye" and not by video camera. Cameras often catch top racewalkers off the ground, but it must be for such a short period of time that it can not be seen by the human eye.)
COMPETITIVE RACEWALKING
For many racewalkers, competition is the name of the game. They train hard to beat other walkers, set new personal records, or even establish new world, national, state, or age group records. While world-class athletes are capable of walking at very high rates of speed, local competitors typically race at between 8 and 15 minutes per mile (5 to 9 minutes per km) --- with most racing in the 11 to 13 minute-per-mile range (Just under 7 to just over 8 minutes per km). Competitors range in age from under 10 to over 90 and, in the U.S., women outnumber men about 2-to-1.
Competitive racewalking is generally a long-distance event with races covering up to 100 miles. In world-class races, men typically race for 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and 50 kilometers (31.1 miles), and women race for 20 kilometers (recently increased from 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles). While the 5-kilometer race tends to be the most popular distance overall, 1500m, 3K, 8K, and 10K races are also frequently held.
RACEWALKING FOR FITNESS
For many racewalkers, fitness is the primary goal. They realize racewalking can carry them to ANY level of cardiovascular fitness and, when combined with a good strength training regimen, can help them reach their overall fitness goal -- whatever level that might be. Many, if not most, fitness racewalkers regularly participate in local runs, walks, and racewalks. They enjoy the competition not so much for the awards they receive but for the motivation such challenges provide during their everyday workouts. They are, in effect, competing with themselves and thereby measuring the success of their fitness program through participation in such events.
Acknowledgement: North American Racewalking Foundation (www.philsport.com)
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