Running is one of the oldest human activities. Many scientists think endurance running helped early humans survive, possibly by allowing them to chase prey over long distances until it tired, and people have raced each other for thousands of years. Organised running appears in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, where the first recorded event was a sprint of about 190 metres. The modern sport took shape in the 19th and 20th centuries with standardised distances, the revival of the Olympics in 1896, the birth of the marathon, the first sub-four-minute mile, the inclusion of women in distance events, and the recreational running boom that made running one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world.
This guide follows running from its evolutionary roots through ancient competition, the rise of modern athletics, key milestones and the growth of mass participation today.
Timeline of key moments
| Period or year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Prehistory | Humans evolve traits suited to endurance running, such as sweating and long legs |
| 776 BC (traditional date) | First recorded ancient Olympic Games, with the stadion sprint |
| 1800s | Professional “pedestrianism” races draw large crowds in Britain and the United States |
| 1896 | First modern Olympics in Athens, including the first Olympic marathon |
| 1897 | First Boston Marathon |
| 1908 to 1921 | The marathon distance of 42.195 km is used in London in 1908 and later standardised |
| 1954 | Roger Bannister runs the first mile under four minutes |
| 1960s to 1970s | Women fight for entry to distance races; the running boom begins |
| 1984 | First Olympic women’s marathon |
| 2004 | The first parkrun is held in London, starting a global free 5K movement |
| 2019 | Eliud Kipchoge runs a marathon distance in under two hours in a special, non-record event |
Running and human evolution
Researchers such as Dennis Bramble and Daniel Lieberman have argued that humans evolved features that make us good long-distance runners, including springy tendons in the legs and feet, large gluteal muscles for stability, the ability to sweat heavily to shed heat, and a body that stays balanced while moving at a steady pace. One theory, called persistence hunting, suggests early humans could chase animals in the heat until the animals overheated. Scientists still debate how important this was, but it helps explain why many people can run long distances.
Ancient running
In ancient Greece, running was central to the Olympic Games. The stadion was a sprint of one length of the stadium, and longer races such as the diaulos (two lengths) and dolichos (a longer distance race) were added over time. Running also played a role in messenger systems in many ancient cultures, where trained runners carried news across long distances. The legend of a Greek messenger running from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens later inspired the modern marathon, although historians debate how accurate the story is.
The birth of modern athletics
In the 1800s, running competitions became popular spectator events. Professional long-distance walkers and runners, known as pedestrians, raced for money in front of large crowds. At the same time, universities and athletic clubs in Britain and the United States organised amateur track meetings with standard distances. When the modern Olympics began in Athens in 1896, running events formed a major part of the programme, and Greek runner Spyridon Louis won the first Olympic marathon.
The marathon
The first Olympic marathon in 1896 was about 40 kilometres. The distance of 42.195 kilometres, or 26.2 miles, was used at the 1908 London Olympics and later became the official standard. The Boston Marathon, first held in 1897, is the world’s oldest annual marathon. Today, major city marathons such as Berlin, London, New York, Chicago, Tokyo and Boston attract tens of thousands of runners each year.
Breaking barriers
On 6 May 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds in Oxford, becoming the first person to break four minutes, a barrier many thought impossible. Women faced different barriers. For much of the 20th century, women were barred from long-distance races. In the 1960s, runners such as Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer ran the Boston Marathon when women were not officially allowed, helping to change attitudes. Women were officially admitted to Boston in 1972, and the women’s marathon was added to the Olympics in 1984.
The running boom
In the 1970s, running became a mass participation activity, especially in the United States. Olympic success by distance runners, growing interest in fitness, and popular books about running encouraged millions of people to take it up. Road races, fun runs and city marathons multiplied. In recent decades, trail running, ultramarathons, parkrun and social running clubs have broadened the sport further.
Running today
Modern running combines elite competition with huge recreational participation. Advances in shoes, including carbon-plated models, have contributed to a wave of fast times and debate about technology in the sport. Wearable devices and apps let runners track pace, distance and heart rate. Meanwhile, the sport’s governing body, World Athletics, sets rules for competition, records and equipment.
For current records, rules and approved equipment, refer to World Athletics and national athletics federations, as records and shoe regulations change over time.
Common myths about running history
- The marathon always was 26.2 miles: early marathons varied in length before the distance was standardised.
- Women were always allowed to run marathons: they were excluded from many races until the late 1960s and 1970s.
- The four-minute mile was thought literally impossible by scientists: it was seen as a major barrier, but claims about doctors predicting death are exaggerated.
Running around the world
Many cultures have long traditions of running. East African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia have produced many of the world’s best distance runners, influenced by factors that researchers still study, including altitude, training culture and lifestyle. Indigenous running traditions exist in many regions, including long-distance running traditions among the Tarahumara people of Mexico. Japan has a strong road relay culture known as ekiden. These traditions show that running is a shared human activity with many local forms.
Running events today
- Track events: sprints, middle distance and long distance on a 400-metre track.
- Road races: 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon.
- Cross country: off-road races over varied terrain.
- Trail and ultra running: races on trails and distances beyond the marathon.
- Relays: team races on track and road.
Whatever the distance or surface, running remains one of the simplest and most accessible sports, needing little more than a pair of shoes and some open space.
Frequently asked questions
When did running become a sport?
Organised running races date back at least to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, traditionally dated to 776 BC.
Why is a marathon 42.195 kilometres?
That distance was used at the 1908 London Olympics and later adopted as the official marathon distance.
Who ran the first sub-four-minute mile?
Roger Bannister, on 6 May 1954, in Oxford, England.
