Who knew watching someone walk would be a more popular spectator sport than baseball, football or horse racing? During the 1870s and 1880s, that was the case. Sold out arenas watched competitors walk around tracks almost non-stop for six days straight going over 500 miles. Some walking contests were created from wagers that had athletes walk hundreds of miles between cities....in the snow! Pedestrianism may be the long lost relative of our sport! Author Matthew Algeo joins The Nation to teach us about a long-forgotten sport, known as pedestrianism. This sport spawned America's first celebrity athletes, made them rich and opened the doors for immigrants, African Americans and women.
Matthew Algeo has written many books that evolve around interesting events in American history. He is a journalist that has reported from four continents and these stories have appeared on some of the most popular public radio programs. Matt currently lives in Sarajevo with his wife, Allyson, and his daughter, Zaya
His book, "Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport" is a fun read that might teach you some strategies on how to be a better runner!
Find out more about Matthew and his other books on his website
EP 639: Endurance off the Trail- Downhill Racing with Steven Nyman
EP 638: Drop Bag with AJW: Mix and Match!
EP 637: Trail Runner's Guide to Better Biomechanics
EP 636: I Can't Wait to Be Patient!
EP 635: Why Are Runners Suddenly so Fast?
EP 634: Beyond Carbs - The Ketogenic Edge
EP 633: Training Your Brain to Outlast the Long Run
EP 632: Mastering Metabolism for Endurance Runners
EP 631: From Pub Bet to Champion: Tom Evans' Triumph Journey
EP 630: Rediscovering Your Mojo on the Trail
EP 629: Insights and Speculations on Western States
EP 628: Running with Purpose - Rediscovering Joy
EP 627: How to Tame Your Next Adventure
EP 626: The Trail of Time - Longterm Nutrition Tips
EP 625: Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by Slowing Down
EP 624: Run Longer, Run Stronger. 7 Rules of Success
EP 623: From Good to Great: Choosing a Trail Running Coach
EP 622: Don't Believe Everything You Hear, Even on ChatGPT
EP 621: Does Chris McDougall Still Think We Are Born to Run?
EP 620: Grab Bag - Reaching Deep with AJW
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