Long-distance track event

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Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. Because these types of races are very energy-consuming, one requires mental determination and aerobic conditioning, since stamina is a bigger factor than speed.

1 Standard long-distance events
- 1.1 5,000 meters
- 1.2 10,000 meters
2 Other distance events
3 Notable long-distance track athletes
- 3.1 Men
- 3.2 Women
4 See also

[edit] Standard long-distance events

[edit] 5,000 meters

Main article: 5000 meters

The 5,000 meters is widely considered a premier event that requires tactics and superior aerobic conditioning. Training for such an event may comprise of a total of 60-200 kilometers (37-124 miles) a week, although training regimens vary greatly. The 5000 is often a popular entry-level race for beginning runners. The world record for men:

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia 12:37.35 Hengelo, Netherlands on 31 May 2004

For women:

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia 14:24.43 New York City on 6 March 2006

[edit] 10,000 meters

The 10,000 meters is the longest standard track event. Most of those running such races also compete in road races and cross country running events. The world record for men:

Kenenisa Bekele 26:17.53 Brussels on 26 August 2005

For women:

Wang Junxia 29:31.78 1993

[edit] Other distance events

Longer races are rarely contested on the track, although records do exist for distances up to 1600 kilometers (see marathons, ultramarathons and multiday races).

[edit] Notable long-distance track athletes

[edit] Men

Saïd Aouita, dominated all distances between 800 meters and 5000 m in the 1980s, a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics, and like Nurmi, was the world record holder for 1500 m, 3:29.46 in 1985, and 5000 m, 13:00.40 in 1985 and 12:58.39 in 1987
Bernard Barmasai
Dieter Baumann, gold medalist in the 5000 m at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona
David Bedford
Kenenisa Bekele, set the current 5000 m world record of 12:37.35 at Hengelo, in the Netherlands, set the current 10000 m world record of 26:17:53 at Brussels, Belgium, and is the gold medalist in the 10,000 m at the 2004 Olympics and 2005 World Championships
Brahim Boulami
Christopher Chataway, set a 5000 m world record of 13 minutes 51.6 seconds in 1954, and was a pacesetter when Roger Bannister ran the first ever sub-4 minute mile that same year
Ron Clarke
Hicham El Guerrouj, double gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the reigning world record holder for the 1,500 metres, 3:26.00, the mile 3:43.13 and 2,000 metres, 4:44.79
Haile Gebrselassie, considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time, was the 1996 and 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the 10000 m, and held the 5000 m world record from 1998 until 2004 with a mark of 12:39.36
Gunder Hägg
Salah Hissou
Volmari Iso-Hollo, winner of 3000m steeplechase at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics
Ben Jipcho
Meb Keflezighi, currently the American 10000 m record holder
Kipchoge Keino, the first of many great distance runners from Kenya, who won gold in at the 1968 Olympics in the 1500 m and at the 1972 Olympics in the steeplechase
Bob Kennedy, the first non-African to break 13:00 in the 5000 m, in which he holds the American record, at 12:58.21
Wilson Boit Kipketer
Moses Kiptanui
Hannes Kolehmainen, the original Flying Finn, winner of four Olympic gold medals
Daniel Komen, thus far the only human ever to run back to back sub-four minute miles running a world record 7:58.61 for two miles in 1997
Billy Mills, the only American ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 m, at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
David Moorcroft, set the world record for 5000 m on July 7, 1982, in Oslo, at the Bislett Games with a time of 13:00.41
Miruts Yifter, aka 'Yifter the Shifter', an Ethiopian winner of two golds at the 1980 Olympics
Paavo Nurmi, winner of nine Olympic gold medals
Yobes Ondieki
Steve Prefontaine, at one point held the American record in every running event from the 1000 meters to the 10,000 meters
Ville Ritola, winner of five Olympic gold medals
Gaston Roelants
Henry Rono, a Kenyan runner who set several world records in 1978, and again broke the 5000 meters world record in 1981
William Sigei
Paul Tergat
Lasse Viren, Finnish winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics
Emil Zátopek, winner of one silver and four gold medals at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics and the first to break the 29 minute barrier in the 10,000 m run, in 1954
Bob Schul, the only American ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the 5,000 m, at the 1964 Summer Olympics, 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Lachie Stewart won the Commonwealth Gold Medal in 1970, and was the first Scot to achieve this feat. In a time of 28:12 mins.

[edit] Women

Elvan Abeylegesse, holder of the world record at 5000 m, clocking 14:24:68 in 2004
Zola Budd, twice broke the world record in the women's 5000 m, running barefoot
Mary Decker, set six world records in 1982, at distances ranging from the mile to 10,000 meters
Dong Yanmei
Jiang Bo
Deena Kastor, multiple American record holder and Bronze medal winner in the 2004 women's Olympic Marathon in Athens, Greece.
Ingrid Kristiansen, world champion in the 10000 m in 1987, she set five track world records
Tegla Loroupe, holds the world records in the one hour run, and for 20, 25 and 30 kilometer distances, and previously held the marathon world record
Liz McColgan
Paula Radcliffe, multiple world record holder, half marathon and cross country World Champion
Fernanda Ribeiro, Olympic 10,000 m gold medalist in 1996
Gulnara Samitova, set 3000 m steeplechase world record, clocking 9:01.59, in 2004
Gabriela Szabo, Romanian who won the 2004 Olympic 5,000 m gold medal in Sydney in a new Olympic record time of 14:40.79
Derartu Tulu, 10000 m gold medalist in 1994 and 2000, and the first woman from sub-Saharan Africa ever to win an Olympic gold medal
Wang Junxia, set 10,000 m world record of 29:31.78, the first-ever sub-30 minute performance by a woman, which broke the former record by a stunning 42 seconds