Perhaps the most basic of athletic contests, running races are simply contests to determine which of the competitors is able to run a certain distance fastest. Today, competitive running events make up the core of the sport of athletics .

Running competitions have probably existed for most of humanity's history, and were a key part of the ancient Greek Olympics , as well as the modern Olympic games .

Events are usually grouped into several classes, each requiring substantially different athletic strengths and involving different tactics, training methods, and types of competitors.

Running affects not only the body , but the mind as well. Runners who finish a great run are sometimes said to have a runner's high — which is more than a sensation of a strong feeling of accomplishment and pride. Some sources point to the origin of a runner's high being increased endorphin production as a result of exercise. However, many runners also do not experience this high.

Running in itself makes up its own competitive sport, but running is also a very important aspect of other sports, i.e. association football, rugby, basketball, lacrosse,etc. Usually the running aspect of these sports is very important to help move a ball to a goal. People of all running types are needed; i.e. with speed, endurance, or agility.