Related article

Humans have been able to run well on two feet for about 2 million years, according to anthropologists. Early humans, or prehumans, developed long tendons in the legs and feet that store and release energy with each step, like giant rubber bands. Other adaptations that let humans run include arms that swing to counterbalance the running motion, and large muscles that hold the body upright. The most significant adaptation, however, was the ability to get rid of the heat generated by running. Humans can cool their bodies in ways animals cannot, through sweating or taking in big cooling breaths through the mouth. They also lack the heat-trapping hair. Although many animals outrun humans over short distances, these adaptations provided humans with more endurance than most animals.

 Using their endurance, early humans hunted large animals on the open plains and savannas even before the development of the bow and arrow. This technique, called persistence hunting, involved running after the animal until it overheated and collapsed. Humans with more speed and endurance caught more animals, and thus survived longer and produced more offspring.

Photo courtesy of BotswanaSafari.info. Before powerful hunting weapons were developed, humans used their endurance to run after and outlast large game animals, a technique called persistence hunting.

Le soldat de Marathon by Luc-Olivier Merson (1869) shows the arrival—and death—of the Greek soldier Phidippedes as he arrived in Athens bringing news of the Battle of Marathon.

Running was used for more than hunting. For a long time, villages would send runners to other villages to communicate important information. This practice continued even after the invention of the horse-pulled chariot in approximately 1700 BCE, by both the Mesopotamians and the Sumerians. One of the more famous runs is that of the Greek soldier Phidippedes. According to legend, in 490 BCE Phidippedes ran the 36.2 km (22.5 mi) distance from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the victory over the Persians. After delivering the good news, Phidippedes died. The marathon race was created to commemorate this event.

In parts of the world that did not have horses, running was the fastest way to get from place to place. For example, the Inca in South America had an elaborate road system from what is now Ecuador through Peru, about 3,680 km (2,300 mi) southward. Runners traveled between the towns to communicate information.

Now that we know how humans started running, let’s find out how running became a sport.