The History of Running as a Sport

Besides serving as a vital link to human survival throughout history (with humans running the distance to hunt game for food), running is a popular ancient and modern form of play with universal status.

Looking back on running

From as early as 776 BC, games were held every 4 years in ancient Olympia, Greece. Athletic events consisted of decathlon and pentathlon foot races (diaulos, dolichos and stadion) with discus, javelin, long jump and wrestling. Cultural history writers note that Ramses II legitimized his throne in Egypt by long-distance runs. Greek historian Herodotus recorded that, in 490 BC, a day-runner, Pheidippides, raced between 149-300 miles (42.195 kilometers) in one day to warn Sparta of Persian infiltration.

Running as a modern sport

The modern marathon was introduced in the 1896 Olympic games in Athens, comprising a 42.195-kilometer race from the city of Marathon (northeast of Athens) to the Olympic stadium. In 1908, the marathon race in London, commemorating Pheidippides’ run, was standardized to 42,195 kilometers, the exact distance from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium. From about 1860, the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America sponsored collegiate track and field athletics, and in 1873, running races were official sporting events. The first championships for sport running were overseen by the Amateur Athletic Union in 1888. In the 1920s, the National Collegiate Athletic Association started promoting track and field for men and women as part of the Olympic games, which have enjoyed a boom in popularity ever since. Currently, as the centerpiece of Olympic summer games, track and field events follow regulations of the Athletics Congress in the United States. The International Amateur Athletics Federation sanctions international competitions.

What about running forward and backward? Just like jogging for fitness spread throughout the world in the 1970s, retro-running or backward running is gaining global recognition by sportsmen, physical therapists and running trainers. Many running enthusiasts claim that alternating backward running and forward running provides greater alignment with the universe. Numerous fitness regimens and sports such as tennis, basketball and football use this type of running to promote greater body flexibility and balance while reducing the risks of injuries.