Race walking - Definition and Overview

Race walking is a special long distance race event in athletics in which the participants must walk. It is distinguished from running by the requirement that at any time at least one foot has contact with the ground and the supporting leg must be straightened (i.e. not bent at the knee) from the moment of the first impact of the foot with the ground until the supporting leg passes below the body. The participants swivel and tilt their hips to lengthen their strides. World-class racewalkers can walk a mile in under 6 minutes.

In competition, racewalkers are expected to maintain good form and are penalized for bending the knee as it passes under the body or having no foot-to-ground contact. It is a Summer Olympic sport with distances of 20 Kilometers for both men and women and 50 Kilometers for men only.

Fitness-wise, mile for mile, it is said to exceed the caloric requirements of running.