Humans and other animals may move quickly on foot by using the terrestrial locomotion technique known as running.
Although there are exceptions, the airborne phase of running is defined by all feet being elevated off the ground.
The center of gravity vaults over the stance leg or legs in an inverted pendulum motion while walking, in contrast,
when one foot is constantly in touch with the ground, the legs are typically maintained straight.
From the perspective of spring-mass mechanics, one characteristic of a running body is that changes in kinetic and potential energy co-occur during a stride,
with energy storage performed by springy tendons and passive muscle flexibility.
Running may be used to describe a wide range of speeds, from jogging to sprinting.
Humans who run tend to have better health and longer lifespans.
Long-distance running is thought to have evolved among the ancestors of humans about 2.6 million years ago, perhaps for animal hunting.
In some regions, religious holidays gave rise to competitive running.
Competitive racing was originally documented during the Tailteann Games in Ireland between 632 and 1171 BCE, and the first Olympic Games were held there in 776 BCE.
The most accessible sport in the world is said to be running.