Al Jazeera Correspondent  Why running is the most democratic
sport  Can the sport erase gender and socio-economic
differences, and bridge cultural gaps?  Last updated: 15 Dec
2013 11:14 Email Article Print Article Share article Send
Feedback Adding to running's democratic appeal are the blurred
lines between a normal run and a race [GALLO/GETTY]  It is not
necessarily easy to become a lifelong runner, but it can be
simple. No other sport has lower entry barriers for the average
person. That is not to ignore that many people find it difficult
to stick with a running programme, or that from the outside, the
sport's most visible gatherings, road races, can look
intimidating. But in most places around the world, being able to
call yourself a runner is more a matter of motivation than
economics, opportunities, or infrastructure.  "Running is the
most accessible, and the cheapest, organised sport," says Roger
Robinson, a former world-class runner who is the sport's leading
historian. After all, the only real piece