is an event within Track & Field, just like the 100m or Long Jump. It is contested at all levels of the sport from Youth meets up to and including the World Championships & Olympic Games. There are also many competitions for Masters (over 40) athletes and opportunities non-competitive walkers looking to improve their fitness.
Race Walking, the extreme event in track & field, is a "technical endurance event", meaning that a specific set of rules must be followed. Simply put, you must maintain visible contact w/ the ground at all times & straighten your knee when your foot makes contact with the ground and keep it straightened until it passes under your body.
Race Walk events range in distance from 1500m to 50 km. Races are contested on the track and on road courses.
Race Walking offers athletes the following opportunities that are unavailable to most runners.