A World History of Long Distance Running (1880-2002): Track Events - Men and Women

Track and Field Athletics is the most universally known and practised of all sports. Its modern forms first emerged for the most part around 1860 in Great Britain and USA. Its coming of age was accelerated with the revival of the Olympic Games (Athens 1896) and the foundation of the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) in Berlin, 1913. The latter is the governing body of the sport with over 200 affiliated countries, still with the same letterhead which now stands for International Association of Athletics Federations. Long distance running has always been a very important section of the sport. This book recounts the history of the two longest distances on the track programme - 5,000 and 10,000 metres. Each chapter covers a given period and brings back to life the outstanding figures in their multiform human, competitive and technical aspects. Women's long distance running has a relatively short history which is also related in detail.