Long-distance running

Long-distance running is running over distances longer than sprint and middle-distance events, including races on roads, cross-country courses, and tracks.

Aerobic exercise: Physical activity that relies substantially on oxygen-dependent metabolism to supply energy. Long-distance running depends heavily on aerobic energy production.
Marathon: A road race covering 42.195 kilometres, or 26 miles 385 yards. It is the best-known long-distance road race.
Ancient Olympic Games: A series of athletic festivals held at Olympia in ancient Greece, traditionally beginning in 776 BCE. Footraces there included events longer than a sprint.
Paavo Nurmi: A Finnish runner who won nine Olympic gold medals in distance events between 1920 and 1928. His racing methods and achievements defined an era of distance running.
Sprint (running): A short running race performed at near-maximum speed. Sprints prioritize peak speed rather than sustained effort.
Lactate threshold: The exercise intensity above which lactate accumulates in the blood faster than the body clears it. Running near this threshold can improve sustainable race pace.
Half marathon: A road race covering 21.0975 kilometres, half the marathon distance. It offers a major road-racing distance below the marathon.
Stadion race: An ancient Greek footrace run over the length of the Olympic stadium at Olympia. It provides a contrast with the longer races of ancient festivals.
Emil Zátopek: A Czech distance runner who won three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His Olympic success across the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres, and marathon was unprecedented.
Middle-distance running: Track running events typically spanning 800 to 3,000 metres. Its shorter races demand a different balance of speed and endurance.

Linked from 12 pages