A short history of running

Why do people run marathons in their thousands these days? Carl Morris, in conversation with Dave Musgrove, traces the origins of running as a sport back to the heyday of 19th-century pedestrianism. These Victorian competitors were superstars of their day and performed in front of huge crowds – and from that starting line, we can chart the growth of the modern passion for marathons.

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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST

To find out more about the strange story of long-distance wheelbarrow pedestrianism, check out the HistoryExtra podcast series The Tiger Tamer who Went to Sea: https://bit.ly/4db4D6L

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