2A - MORE ON ... THE BASICS OF RACE WALKING
 
SO, WHY NOT JUST RUN?
 
To ask why race walkers don't simply run is similar to asking why hurdlers don't simply sprint -- or why butterfly specialists don't simply use the crawl stroke. Race walking, like hurdling or swimming the butterfly stroke, offers an interesting combination of fitness and technical challenges that makes the sport ... well ... interesting. Race walking provides ALL of the cardiovascular benefits of running, but racewalkers enjoy certain advantages over runners.
 
Race walking is much less injury prone. Because of the smooth and fluid stride, the body lands with much less force than in running--resulting in less pounding on the feet, legs, knees, hips, and back. Fewer injuries means more opportunity to train -- and, therefore, the possibility of better fitness. Runners like to point to studies that say running is no more injury prone than most sports. That's probably true, because many sports (football, basketball, tennis, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, etc.) are also injury prone. It is not a matter of running being more prone to injuries than most sports, it is a matter of race walking being less prone to injuries than most sports.
 

 
 
Race walking generally creates a more knowledgeable athlete. Almost anyone can run (or walk) without instruction--and, unfortunately, most do. But most people find it hard to race walk without getting help. In the process, most race walkers become very conscious of their posture, and the position and action of almost every body part. They tend to know what they are doing (or not doing) and why. Top runners have outstanding body awareness, but most runners (and especially joggers) seldom do.
 
And, finally, there are simply fewer race walkers. There are so many runners out there they hardly notice one another. But race walkers are part of a much, much smaller family. Race walkers will always notice one another, and will always try to support each other. (We do have our own family feuds, of course, but just let a runner criticize a race walker and those feuds tend to be suspended for the duration.) Fewer also means better for another reason; it is easier to win a prize. For example, to win a berth in the Olympic marathon, a runner has to beat out hundreds of competitors. To win a berth in the Olympic 50K race walk, however, a race walker only has to beat a few serious contenders.