pThis is the first book to critically examine the relationship between running events in local, national, and international welfare policy, their marketing and management, and the resulting social impacts. ppDrawing on original empirical research, the book presents a series of illustrative case studies, with each chapter containing take-home messages for sport and events managers looking to improve their professional practice. Developing a new theoretical perspective on running events, the book presents data from around the world, including five European countries, the US and China. It covers different types of events, from big city marathons to community park runs, and new types of events such as path and trail runs, night runs, ultra runs, xtreme runs and obstacle run, presenting a typology of running events that will help shape future analysis of this rapidly growing sector. The book also examines the market for running events, runners' socio-demographic profiles, the main managemen