" Recreational running became popular due to high-profile runners such as Steve Prefontaine. Race courses are usually held on the streets of major cities and towns but they could be on any sealed road . Most road races are either 5 km (3. 1 miles), 10 km (6. 2 miles), half-marathon (21. 097 km, 13. 1 miles), or marathon (42. Kelowna Running Club195 km, 26. 2 miles), but non-standard distances are also acceptable. "

"14 km). Any running that covers a distance further than a marathon is called ultrarunning; the event is an ultramarathon. Such events can be measured in distance (for example, 100 kilometers) or by time (whoever has run the farthest after 24 hours). Examples include the London to Brighton run in England which is just over 54 miles (87. 085 km), the Comrades Marathon run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in South Africa which is about 89 km (55. 3 miles), and the Badwater Ultramarathon between Death Valley and Mount Whitney in the United States which is 135 miles (215 km). Road running is unique among athletic events because in many cases first time amateurs are welcome to participate in the same event as members of running clubs and even current world-class champions. Connecticut Running Club Professional road racing's governing body is the IAAF. Competitors from around the world participate in what is dubbed the "elite" races for cash prizes. "