Running is intrinsic for most mobile organisms on Earth. Whether an animal is running away from a predator or a predator is chasing its prey, running is key for survival, and that remains the case for humans. Humans, in particular, are engineered to run in the way our muscles are configured. Long elastic tendons and ligaments, such as the Achilles and plantar fascia in the foot, act as energy-storing springs that propel humans forward and increase running efficiency. These adaptations have helped humans obtain energy by aiding them in hunting. 

The first signs of these simple survival mechanisms turning into sport were evident in early civilization. There is evidence that the first to do it were the Sumerians in 2000 BCE, who organized races and even introduced a whole month dedicated to racing. Other civilizations, such as Ancient Egypt and the Babylonians, also participated in similar activities. Early civilizations, such as those that helped set the bar for competitions, influenced the Greeks, arguably the most well-known for ancient athletics, to begin the tradition of the Olympics. 

The first-ever Olympics were established in 776 BCE. While we now know the Olympics as a huge multi-sport affair, the first 13 iterations of the spectacle were solely centered on the Stadion, a roughly 190-meter running event. While the Olympics were slowly expanded over time to include more sports such as wrestling and boxing, as well as adding more races such as the Dialous (400m race), Dolichos (a long distance race), and the Hopilitodromia ( a race in armour), the Stadion remained the most prestigious aspect of the Olympics and even its winner was considered the victor of the entire games. 

Much like how earlier civilizations influenced them, the Ancient Greek Olympics influenced Romans and other Mediterranean societies to start to integrate sports into everyday life; however, soon racing competitions slowly started to disappear as Greek and Roman cultures started to shift towards other forms of entertainment, as well as trying to move away from the pagan ties the sport had, instead moving towards Christianity. 

Soon, the sport was lost to time until its revival in the 1860s. In 1866, there was a push by major British universities, Oxford and Cambridge, to bring back the sport for amateur participation. The popularization and modernization of track and field by the British eventually led to the competitions traveling to the  United States and other countries. 30 years later, the Ancient Greek tradition of the Olympics was revived. 

Since the revival of the Olympics, track and field has grown significantly, with it becoming a professional sport run across the globe and even being run by 1.1 million youth in the US alone. 

Our own track team is starting its spring season on April 15th. Track is an amazing way to get in shape, and as we see from its history, it has persisted through time despite so many obstacles. Additionally, track is one of the best sports to do as a beginner, as the barrier to entry is quite low. If you’re interested in joining the track team, you can talk to Mr. Russell or Ms. Pizzino.