There was a story in the news a few weeks ago about a Chinese racewalker who was banned for doping. My first reaction was, racewalking? What? And someone is doping to be better at that?

Amazingly, Racewalking has been an Olympic event of its own since 1906, almost the beginning of the modern games. Here are videos of people racewalking. As the Seattle PI notes, it looks a lot like people rushing to go to the bathroom.

How do they make sure people walk and don't run? They have to keep one foot on the ground at all times, and they have several judges to monitor the walkers. If they commit three violations, they're out. Also, the main events in competition include a 31-mile walk.

Whenever the Olympics come around, I wonder, how do people get into these events and decide to devote so much to them? It's one thing to be a swimmer or a skier and at least compete in a couple of events, but how versatile is a...luge-ist? Can they cross over to the bobsled?