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Pan American Sports Games, Rio de Janeiro, 2007
The miles-long history of the marathon
Ancient Olympic Games
Quizzes
Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after breaking the world record with a time of 19.30 to win the gold medal as Churandy Martina (left) of Netherlands Antilles and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe come in after him in the Men's 200m Final at the National Stadium during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Summer Olympics, track and field, athletics)
I Am the Greatest (Athlete)
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
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Ancient Olympic games. infographic, equestrian events, pentathlon, running events, boxing, wrestling, pankration, sports. SPOTLIGHT VERSION
Events of the Ancient Olympic Games
Start of Men's 100 meter sprint where Usain Bolt wins and sets a new world record at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games August 18, 2008 in Beijing, China.
How Fast Is the World’s Fastest Human?
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports
Sailboats in Boston Harbor in front of the financial district of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Boston: 10 Claims to Fame
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Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.
10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci
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14 Tough Questions Answered
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8 Unusual Punishments Inflicted on Women Throughout History
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Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1855), founder of the house of Rothschild; lithograph by Friedrich Lieder, c. 1830.
Where Do Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories About the Rothschild Family Come From?
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12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
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Was Santa Claus a Real Person?
Pan American Sports Games, Rio de Janeiro, 2007
Pan American Sports Games, Rio de Janeiro, 2007 Frank Caldeira finishing first in the marathon at the Pan American Sports Games, Rio de Janeiro, 2007.

running

athletics
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Also known as: track athletics, track event
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The miles-long history of the marathon
The miles-long history of the marathonThe marathon is said to commemorate the feat of a Greek soldier in 490 bce.
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running, footracing over a variety of distances and courses and numbering among the most popular sports in nearly all times and places. Modern competitive running ranges from sprints (dashes), with their emphasis on continuous high speed, to grueling long-distance and marathon races, requiring great endurance. See also athletics; cross-country; hurdling; long-distance running; marathon; middle-distance running; relay race; sprint; steeplechase. For walk racing, see walking.

Running is also a popular noncompetitive recreation that can produce important physiological benefits. See jogging.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.