Editing Track and field (section)

===Long-distance===
{{Main|Long-distance running}}
[[File:Kenenisa Bekele - Smiling.jpg|thumb|Ethiopian runner [[Kenenisa Bekele]] leading in a long-distance track event]]
There are three common long-distance running events in track and field competitions: [[3000 metres|3000]], [[5000 metres|5000]], and [[10,000 metres]]. The latter two races are both Olympic and World Championship events outdoors, while the 3000&nbsp;m is held at the [[IAAF World Indoor Championships]]. The 5000&nbsp;m and 10,000&nbsp;m events have their historical roots in the 3-mile and 6-mile races. The 3000&nbsp;m was used as a women's long-distance event, entering the World Championship programme in 1983 and Olympic programme in 1984, but this was abandoned in favour of a women's 5000&nbsp;m event in 1995.<ref name=LDIAAF>[http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/trackfield/newsid=9417.html 5000-10000 m – Introduction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025044629/http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/trackfield/newsid=9417.html |date=25 October 2012 }}. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved on 7 April 2010.</ref>  [[Marathon]]s, while long-distance races, are typically run on street courses, and often are run separately from other track and field events.

In terms of competition rules and physical demands, long-distance track races have much in common with middle-distance races, except that pacing, [[Endurance|stamina]], and tactics become much greater factors in performances.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/trackfield/newsid=9412.html 5000-10000 m – Is it for me?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025044653/http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/trackfield/newsid=9412.html |date=25 October 2012 }}. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved on 7 April 2010.</ref><ref name=AboutLong>{{cite web |last=Rosenbaum |first=Mike |url=http://trackandfield.about.com/od/longdistance/p/Introlongdist.htm |title=Introduction to Long Distance Events |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131191959/http://trackandfield.about.com/od/longdistance/p/Introlongdist.htm |archive-date=31 January 2017 |url-status=usurped |website=About |access-date=7 April 2010}}</ref> A number of athletes have achieved success in both middle- and long-distance events, including [[Saïd Aouita]] who set world records from 1500&nbsp;m to 5000&nbsp;m.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40966/athletics Athletics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511201051/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40966/athletics |date=11 May 2015 }}. ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''. Retrieved on 7 April 2010.</ref> The use of [[pace-setter]]s in long-distance events is very common at the elite level, although they are not present at championship level competitions as all qualified competitors want to win.<ref name=AboutLong /><ref>Wermuth, Stefan [https://web.archive.org/web/20090504202220/http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2009/04/28/do-pacemakers-have-a-place-in-athletics/ Do pacemakers have a place in athletics?]. [[Reuters]]. Retrieved on 9 April 2010.</ref>

Long-distance track events gained popularity in the 1920s by the achievements of the "[[Flying Finn]]s", such as multiple Olympic champion [[Paavo Nurmi]]. The successes of [[Emil Zátopek]] in the 1950s promoted intense interval training methods, but [[Ron Clarke]]'s record-breaking feats established the importance of natural training and even-paced running. The 1990s saw the rise of North and East African runners in long-distance events. Kenyans and Ethiopians, in particular, have since remained dominant in these events.<ref name=LDIAAF />