Athletic march

The athletic walk is a discipline of athletics in which you try to walk as fast as possible (march) without actually running. The limit between walking and running is established at the moment the athlete visibly loses contact with the ground. When this happens it is assumed that the walker is running (in walker slang: he is flying or "floating"). It should not be confused with running, where athletes can leave both feet off the ground at the same time, and street walking, in which there is no jogging or marching.

Although it is one of the first specialties to be practiced, it is still largely unknown among the different disciplines of athletics. Despite this ignorance, it is very popular in some countries where there is a great tradition, such as Spain, Italy, China, Japan, Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, Russia and some countries of the former Soviet Union.

This article refers to distances in meters and kilometers. They are expressed in meters when it comes to tests on the track (400 m of rope) or indoor track (usually 200 m of rope). When the distances are expressed in kilometers, it is because they are "en route" tests, that is, on the street or on the highway (outside the stadium or sports facility).

History

Six days from London, 1877. Weston against O'Leary.

The practice of track walking is first documented in England in the late 18th century century, where it was makes popular. This popularity increased during the XIX century, attracting the attention of the rest of Europe, in such a way that in Italy, France Massive popular marches were organized in, Germany and Sweden. Later he crossed the Atlantic Ocean to make himself known in the United States and especially in Mexico.

The turn of the 20th century witnessed the recognition of athletic walking as a serious and well-regulated athletic discipline. It was included in the Olympic program, in the men's category, in 1908 (Olympic Games in London), in the distances of 3,500 m and 10 miles. After this, international competitions over the 10-mile distance were not held again. Previously, it had already made its appearance in the unrecognized Athens Intercalated Games of 1906, where it competed over the distances of 1,500 and 3,000 m. Nor were international competitions held over the 1,500 m distance again.

Women had to wait a few years before they could compete in this specialty. Worldwide, it was necessary to wait until 1979, on the occasion of the Athletic Walking World Cup held in Eschborn where they competed over a distance of 5 km, until 1985 at the World Indoor Games held in Paris-Bercy (over 3,000 m), also in 1985 at the Kobe World University Games (also over 5 km) and until 1987 at the World Athletics Championships (over 10 km) that took place in the city of Rome. To participate in an Olympic Games the marchers had to wait a little longer. Specifically until 1992, on the occasion of the Barcelona Olympic Games where they competed over a distance of 10 km. Since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, the distance for women is 20 km.

Rules

All information refers to worldwide competitions

Contact loss.

The rules in athletic walking have undergone various modifications. Although the fundamental rule that requires permanent contact with the ground has remained unchanged, the same has not happened with the one referring to knee flexion.

The forwarding leg has to be straight, (i.e. not folded by the knee) from the moment of the first contact with the ground until it is in vertical position.

International Association of Athletic Federations, IAAF 2014-2015 COMPETITION REGULATIONS Art.230.1 p. 254

Although the leg is currently required to be straight from the moment it contacts the ground until it reaches verticality, at first knee flexion was allowed as long as it was not exaggerated and the walker don't give the impression of running. This permissiveness continues to be applied in the ultra march or long distance march, which has its greatest expression in the 24-hour race, with a great tradition in France and England, and which is also regularly held in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and the United States. Within the gran fondo events calendar, the most prestigious is the Paris-Colmar —created in 1926 as the Paris-Strasbourg event—, with a length of nearly 500 km. The longest is, however, the Six Days Walk which began to be held in 2009, and in which the winner of the 2010 edition, Alain Grassi, covered a total of 701,892 km.

• The exit

The exit of a race must be marked by a white line of 50 mm wide. In all races that are not disputed by individual streets, the exit line must be curved, so that all athletes start at the same distance from the goal. For all tests of any distance the exit positions will be numbered from left to right in the sense of the race. Note 1: In the tests in which the output is done outside the Stadium the output line may have a width of up to 0.30 m and be of a color that visibly contrasts with the surface of the exit zone.

International Association of Athletic Federations, IAAF 2014-2015 COMPETITION REGULATIONS Art.162.1 p. 163

The start will be given in the usual way in races of distances greater than 400 m and if there are many participants, warnings will be given when there are 5, 3 and 1 minutes left before the start of the race.

• The race

The races will be programmed to start and end with daylight.

International Association of Athletic Federations, IAAF 2014-2015 COMPETITION REGULATIONS Art. 230.13 p. 258

At the start and finish, water and other supplies must be available. In tests of up to 10 km, drinking stations (water only) and soaked sponges will be set up at suitable intervals if the weather conditions make it advisable. In longer distances there will be refreshment stations at each lap and also drink stations (only water) and soaked sponges approximately halfway through the route. This may vary depending on the weather conditions in which the test takes place.

An athlete can provide their own supplies, which will be delivered to them at the corresponding points and duly authorized by the organization, by authorized persons. In high-level competitions, up to two representatives from each country can sit at the refreshment table, but they cannot run next to the athlete. An athlete who takes undue refreshments or outside the place enabled for it will be disqualified.If an athlete leaves the marked course, thus covering a shorter distance, he will be disqualified. Only in tests of 20 km or more can they leave the track or route with the permission and supervision of an official and without thereby reducing the distance to be covered.

Judges

Palas used by judges in athletic march.

Warning pads.

The mission to play by the March Judge is to ensure that no competitor completes the test if he has failed to comply with the definition specified in IAAF Article 230.

International Association of Athletic Federations, Athletic March - A Guide to Judging and Organizing

The regulations establish that the walking judges have to warn the athletes that due to their way of walking they run the risk of committing a foul, and for this they use yellow discs (warning paddles) with the symbol of possible infraction. When, in the judgment of a walking judge, an athlete commits an infraction, he sends a red card to the chief judge. These cards go up in the form of annotations (as well as the number of the athlete) to one or several panels located along the course and near the finish line, which are kept in view of the participants.

When three different judges have passed red cards to an athlete, the chief judge proceeds to disqualify him by showing him the red paddle (see Rule of the «Pit Lane» in this section). The disqualification can be notified by the chief judge or a deputy by showing the red paddle, and the athlete must leave the circuit or track. An athlete may not be disqualified as a result of the existence of more than one red card from judges of the same nationality.

The chief walking judge has the power to directly disqualify a walker in the last 100 m of the event, or when the athlete enters the stadium if it was held outside, when he is obviously marching against the norm and regardless of the notices and cards red ones you have previously received. The athlete disqualified in this way has the right to terminate the event.

• Rule of Pit Lane

The Pit Lane Rule stems from a proposal by the IAAF Athletic Walking Committee in April 2013. The IAAF Council decided that in the 2014-2015 season all competitions marching at the national level for categories between Alevín and Juvenil are carried out, when possible, following these regulations.

The purpose of this rule is to...

Scheme of the Rule of Pit Lane.

...reduce (if not completely eliminate) disqualifications, the marks that are obtained with this rule are valid.

Royal Spanish Athletic Federation, IMPLEMENTATION REGULATION OF THE PIT LANE IN THE WORK OF MARCH Circular No. 208/2014

...aimed at reducing (if not eliminating altogether) disqualifications.

International Association of Athletic Federations, IAAF Race Walking «Pit Lane Rule» Circular no: M/10/14

The rule is, basically, that when an athlete receives three red cards (not to be confused with three warnings) they must enter a reserved area or penalty area (Pit Lane area ) where he will wait during regulation time. The times depend on the distance of the competition and are as follows:

Within the penalty area the athlete can move freely and will not be penalized even if they lose contact with the ground. He cannot provide supplies but he can receive instructions from his coach. As the circular indicates, "[...] the width may vary but should be able to allow up to 5 athletes to stay at the same time." Ten seconds before rejoining you will be informed by a display by a judge of the appropriate notice card. If the athlete, after passing through the «Pit Lane» , receives a new red card, he will be immediately disqualified.

Competitions

All information about distances and competitions refers to events of worldwide scope. They are listed in order of appearance of the athletic march in each of the events.

The complete athletic trainer (1913).

• Olympic Games

Organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), they are held every four years. Throughout Olympic history, the distances to be covered by walkers have changed (see Distances).

The first time athletic walking made its global appearance was at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, an "Olympic Games" not recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

• World Championship of Athletic March by Teams

It is organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). It is also known as the "Lugano Cup" because this is the city where its first edition was held. It is one of the most prestigious events in the world of athletic walking.

Celebrated biennially, it began in 1961 and until 1999 it was held in odd years. Since 2002 it is celebrated in even years.

In 2016 it changed its name to the current one. Previously it was known as the Athletic Walking World Cup.

• Universia

The World University Games (or Universiades) are organized by the International Federation of University Sports (FISU) and have been held every two years since 1959, although the athletic march did not make its appearance until the year 1981.

• World Championship of Athletics

It has been organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 1983. The first three editions (from 1983 to 1991) were held on a four-year basis, but from then on it became biennial. The athletic march has been present since the first edition.

George Goulding at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.

• World Championship of Athletics in Pista Cubierta

In 1985, the World Indoor Games were held in Paris, which were the forerunners of the World Indoor Athletics Championships.

Organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), it has been held every two years since 1987 (until 2003 in odd years and since 2004 in even years). The athletic march was present at the World Indoor Games and the World Indoor Championships in its first four editions. Since the last appearance in 1993, athletic walking events have not been held in this championship.

Although there are no world-class indoor track walking events, the IAAF maintains a world ranking for the senior category (see Annex: Best World Track Track Records)

• Junior World Championship of Athletics

It has been organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 1986 and is held every two years. The athletic march has been present since the first edition.

• Youth World Championship of Athletics

It has been organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since 1999 and is held every two years. The athletic march has been present since the first edition.

• Olympic Youth Games

Organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), they have been held every four years since 2010.

Distances

• 1500 meters

The only time (men only) it was run over this distance in a world-class competition was at the 1906 Athens Intercalated Games. These games have never been officially recognized as the Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee. No further world walk trials were held over the 1,500 m distance.

• 3000 meters

Went twice (men only) over this distance. The first was at the unrecognized 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens and the second at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games. No further world walking events over the distance of 3,000 m were held outdoors. Yes, they were carried out, for a short period of time, on the indoor track and in the women's category, since in men the distance is 5000 m. This was in Paris-Bercy in 1985, on the occasion of the 1985 World Indoor Games, which in 1987 would become the World Indoor Athletics Championships. Although they are still held every two years, the athletic march is he last practiced indoors in Toronto, at the 1993 World Indoor Championships in Athletics.

See also: Athletics march at the World Indoor Championships in Athletics

• 3500 meters

The only time he has walked (men only) over this distance in world-class competition was at the 1908 London Olympics This 3,500 m and 10-mile marked the debut of the walk in a world-class competition world. No further world walk trials over the 3500m distance were held.

• 5000 meters

They were carried out for a short period of time, on an indoor track and in the men's category, since the distance for women was 3000 m. This was in Paris-Bercy in 1985, on the occasion of the Paris-Bercy, which in 1987 would become the World Indoor Athletics Championships. Although it is still held every two years, track walking was last practiced indoors in Toronto, at the 1993 World Indoor Championships in Athletics. between the first edition, in Athens in 1986, and the 1998 edition. The following editions were already held over a distance of 10,000 m, the same as in the men's category. Currently, the distance is maintained in the World Youth Athletics Championships in the female category. It has been practiced since the first edition in Bydgoszcz, Poland, of the 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics. It has also been held in the women's category at the Youth Olympic Games since the first edition in Singapore 2010.

• 5 kilometres

In the World University Games, better known as Universiade, women's marching events were not held until 1983, although the games have existed since 1959. Women marched over this distance between 1985 and 1989, when it was stopped this distance to go to 10 km in later editions and later over 20 km.

• 10 000 metres

In the World Junior Athletics Championships, the men's category has been marching over the distance since the first edition, in Athens, in 1986. In the women's category, it has been marching since the 2000 edition.

He also marches over this distance at the World Youth Athletics Championships in the men's category. It has been practiced since the first edition in Bydgoszcz, Poland, of the 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics.

• 10 kilometres

In the Olympic Games, men have marched over this distance five times, while women have done so twice. The men started at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics and after the break of World War I they continued at the 1920 Antwerp games. After this, in 1928 there were no walking events and in 1932 and 1936 there was no walking on distance. In addition, we must add the forced stoppage as a result of the Second World War. As a consequence of all this, they did not march over this distance again until London 1948 and Helsinki 1952. They did not march again at the Olympic Games over the distance of 10 km in the men's category. From the following games (Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games) the distance would already be 20 km. The women had to wait until the 1992 Barcelona Olympics for the women's march to make its Olympic debut. The next time he went over the distance was in Atlanta 1996 and it was also the last, since from the following games (Sydney 2000) the distance would already be 20 km.

At the World Championships in Athletics only women have marched over the distance. It was between 1987 and 1997. On the next occasion (Sevilla 1999) they did it over 20 km. In the World University Games, better known as Universiade, women marched over the distance between 1991, when they went from 5 to 10 km, and 2001, when this distance was stopped to go to 20 km in later editions. In the Athletic Walking World Cup, women have been competing in the distance since 1983 to date, with a break in the years 1999 and 2002, when they did not compete in the distance. Men have performed it uninterruptedly since 2004. It has also been held in the men's category at the Youth Olympic Games since the first edition in Singapore 2010.

• 10 miles

The only time he has walked (men only) over this distance in world-class competition was at the 1908 London Olympics This 10 mile and 3,500 m was the walk's debut in a men's competition officially recognized worldwide scope. No further world walking trials were conducted over the 10 mile distance.

• 20 000 meters

There have been no world events for walking over the distance of 20,000 m, although the IAAF maintains a record of records (see World Best Athletic Walking Records).

• 20 kilometres

Men's Olympic walking began in 1956, at the Melbourne Olympic Games. Women's Olympic walking also began in Australia, but it was necessary to wait 44 years until the year 2000 for the Sydney Olympic Games. In the Olympic Games, distance practice is maintained in both male and female categories.

This distance is also practiced in the men's category in the Athletic Walking World Cup since 1961, in the World University Games (Universiades) since 1981 and in the World Athletics Championships since 1983. In the women's category in the World Cup in Athletic Walking and in the World Athletics Championships since 1999 and in the World University Games (Universiades) since 2003.

• 30 000 meters

There have been no world events for walking over the distance of 30,000 m, although the IAAF maintains a record of records (see World Best Records in Athletic Walking).

• 30 kilometres

There have been no global walking tests over the 30 km distance.

• 35 kilometres

From 2021 this distance will replace the current 50 km event in international championships.

• 50 000 meters

There have been no world events for walking over the distance of 50,000 m, although the IAAF maintains a record of records (see World Best Records in Athletic Walking).

• 50 kilometres

This distance was practiced only in the men's category until 2016. It has existed, at the Olympic level, since 1932 at the Los Angeles Games. Since then, except for the forced interruption as a result of World War II, he has walked over 50 km on all Olympic occasions except for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, when he only walked over 20 km. It has also been practiced in the Athletic Walking World Cup since 1961 and in the Athletics World Championships since 1983, always in the men's category.

As indicated, since 2016 the participation of women without classification by sex is authorized, being a mixed test. The first event sanctioned by the IAAF was the World Team Athletic Walking Championships (formerly known as the Athletic Walking World Cup) held in Rome. It is worth noting the fact that this first edition had only one participant, the American Erin Talcott as part of the United States team.

From 2021 this test will disappear from international competitions, being replaced by the 35 km walk.

Athletic march in popular culture

Final of the 10 km march in the Olympic Games of 1912.

50 km race at the 2013 World Athletic Championship.

Cinema

• Doctor Detroit (1983): Dan Aykroyd interprets a slightly extravagant teacher who, among other things, practices the athletic march.

• Walk, Don't Run (Camina no Corras/Apartment for three(1966): a Cary Grant film that revolves around three people who are forced to share an apartment on the eve of the Tokyo Olympic Games. This comedy was the last film starring the actor. The outcome takes place during the competition, which occupies the last twenty minutes.

• Staff Best (1986): two women athletes (not marchers) train, compete, and fall in love. In some scenes you can see actual marchers at the bottom of the image in Eugene, Oregon. Among the real athletes who appear you can recognize Jim Heiring, Sharp and Marco Evoniuk.

• When Harry found Sally (1989): Billy Crystal marches through Central Park in a short scene.

• Are We Done Yet?: starring Ice Cube and John C. McGinley, about an eccentric contractor who is also a professional ex-husband.

• The Lemon Sisters (1983): Diane Keaton, Carol Kane and Kathryn Grody are sisters. Diane takes up the athletic march. Henry Laskau is competing on the Atlantic City promenade between the victories of the crowd.

• Passport to Pimlico (1949): comedy of Henry Cornelius.

• Boyfriends (1999): Joaquín Oristrell comic film with Juan Diego Botto as one of the performers. After the title of the film (minute 2) he appears marching on the street during a coach. It also appears marching in minutes 6, 41 and 73.

Television

• Almost Live!: played by Bill Nye as a superhero fighting crime.

• Malcolm in the middle4th Season, Episode 70 Malcolm bites his tongue (Malcolm Holds His Tongue) the protagonist resumes the athletic march.

Video games

• Homestarrunner.com: 50K Racewalker. A game where the player must march for 50 km in order to win, which requires more than 20 hours of play.