A Brief History of Walking
4 million years BC or thereabouts (subject to scientific and philosophical debate): Australopithecus afarensis begins the fad of two-legged walking, the defining trait of family Hominidae. Two-legged walking frees up the hands to use for making tools, tying shoes, etc.
8,000 - 10,000 years BB (before Birkenstocks): North American natives make and wear sandals. Sling backs and slip-ons are the most popular styles.
100 AD: Emperor Hadrian tours his whole empire on foot, marching 21 miles a day in full armor. The measurement Mile = 1000 military paces, paces being two steps.
1589: Sir Robert Carey walks 300 miles from London to Berwick on a wager.
1600's: King Charles II of England racewalked from Whitehall to Hampton Court.
1762: John Hague walked 100 miles in 23 hours, 15 minutes.
1801 - 1803: Johann Gottfried Seume walks from Germany to Sicily and back, then from Germany to Russia, Finland and Sweden 1805-1807.
1809: Captain Robert Barclay walks 1000 miles in 1000 hours. The walk was done on a measured mile at Newmarket Heath, and was the subject of an estimated 100,000 wagers and before large crowds. He was the last Laird of Urie and noted for his many walks in the Scottish hills.
1864: Black Forest Wanderverein formed - now world's oldest surviving walking club.
1860-1903: the Pedestrian Age - walking is the leading sport in Europe and America. Big money comes to walking as long distance walkers earn more per race than today's basketball players, the equivalent of 100 years of salary of the day.
1861: Edward Payson Weston's, "the father of modern pedestrianism" has his first major walk. It occurred because he bet that President Lincoln would lose the 1860 election. Upon Lincon's win and Weston's loss, Weston walked from Boston to the inauguration in Washington DC.
1867: Weston walks from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois (1326 miles) in 25 days, earning $10,000, the equivalent of a million dollars today.
1874: Weston walks 500 miles in six consecutive days. Daniel O'Leary breaks his record and becomes "Champion Pedestrian of the World." From these competitions, the Astley Belt Races are developed.
1877: Mary Marshall walks 50 miles in 12 hours.
1879: Charles Rowell earns $50,000 in two 6-day Astley Belt Races.
1879: First women's 6-day race is won by Bertha Von Berg, with a distance of 372 miles and $1000 purse.
1906: Athens Olympics (Interim Games) 1500m Walk Olympic record set by George Bonhag, USA 7:12:6, 3000m Walk won by Gyorgy Sztantics, Hungary 15:13.2.
1908: London Olympics: 3500m Walk, 10 Miles Walk, added 20K and 50K racewalks.
1909: The Nijmegen Vierdaagse (Four-Days Walk) is hosted for the first time.
1911: First US racewalk held on Coney Island.
1960: Wendy takes her first step, Forest Grove, Oregon.
1968: IVV formed to promote non-competitive walking events.
1969: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on moon.
1970: First March of Dimes held, Columbus, Ohio.
1976: First sanctioned volksmarch in USA, Fredericksburg, Texas.
1984: Wendy goes on her first volksmarch, Forest Grove, Oregon.
1987: International Marching League is formed.
1990's: Walking is the most popular form of exercise in the USA, with 65 million regular walkers. It beats all other forms of sport and exercise by over 100% Athletic shoe companies respond by gearing advertising to runners and professional sports.
1997: Walking site debuts at Mining Company and is one of its top 25 sites throughout the year.
1999: Mining Company becomes About.com. Wendy walks her first marathon.
1999/2000: Millennium Walks and World Walking Day Walks held worldwide.
2000: Poland's Robert Korzeniowski sweeps the men's 20K and men's 50K walk in the Sydney Olympic Games. There is much controversy as competitors are disqualified in the last mile before the finish, some not notified of disqualification until after finishing.
2001: Thousands of walkers participate in the Walk of Life 10-Week Program on Walking.about.com
More
Walk of Life 10-Week Program
Going on a Walk With the AVA
International Marching League Events
Wendy's First Marathon
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner, courtesy of Dad.
