Podcasts about Pedestrianism

To really understand who we are as a running community—What drives us, what connects us, and why we keep pushing our limits, we have to look back. Long before ultras, Strava segments, or finish-line belt buckles, there was pedestrianism—a 19th-century spectacle where athletes raced for six days straight inside smoky arenas, cheered on by thousands. Our resident ultrarunning historian, Davy Crockett, is back to introduce us to one of the most unforgettable figures from that era.  Peter Napoleon Campana—better known as Old Sport.  Davy just published another book, Old Sport Campana: Ultrarunning;s Most Popular and Amusing 19th Century Runner in his historical series that brings  Campana's story to life and helps us explore what it reveals about the roots of our sport—and why looking back just might help us better understand who we are today. Links to check out: Grand Canyon History Ultrarunning History Podcast American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame Episode Sponsors: Janji, Use code TRAILRUNNER for 10% off Peluva, 15% off with code TRAILRUNNER Shokz, Use code TRN10 for 10% off Wonderful Pistachios Oikos Triple Zero FREE! Trail Runner Nation's Trail Triage app

And so you have men on bikes racing through narrow gaps on jammed avenues with a backpack full of shrimp curry and pad thai, meanwhile an elderly man (me) on his way to the drugstore to pick up some Alka-Seltzer stands on the curb, peering into the darkness for some glimmer of light, some sign of motion, some clue as to approaching bicycles. This is the adventure of life in Manhattan, serious bodily injury from bicyclists delivering exotic food at high speed to stay-at-home software programmers.This is why I pay extra to live in a doorman building. Felipe will deal with the guy on the bike, accept the charred wok vegetable medley and the crispy calamari and drunken noodles with peanut sauce and hand the bag to Lenny, who will bring it up to the 12th floor and leave it at our door and the food will still be hot though the restaurant is a mile away. This is a remarkable amenity. It's not the cold weather that keeps my sweetie and me indoors, it isn't the fear of stickups, it's the fear of being run down by bicyclemen delivering food to other people. The fear of lying in the street while covered with garlic sauce. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit garrisonkeillor.substack.com/subscribe

What is Pedestrianism – it was once all the rage! And beyond his work in agriculture, what is George Washington Carver known for?

In which the first great sporting fad of the 19th century springs from great feats of British walking, and Ken isn't sure how to use protozoa as a metaphor for time. Certificate #21218.

In this episode, we dive into the forgotten sport of Pedestrianism, the 19th-century endurance walking craze that captivated audiences and laid the groundwork for modern competitive racing. From six-day walking contests in packed arenas to gambling-fueled rivalries, Pedestrianism was once as popular as baseball and boxing. We explore the legendary competitors who pushed the limits of human endurance and the societal shifts that led to the sport's decline. Tune in to uncover how this bizarre yet fascinating chapter of athletic history still echoes in today's ultramarathons and racewalking events. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wikiuniversity YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmPDDjcbBJfR0s_xJfYCUvwInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wikiuniversity/Music provided by Davey and the Chains

Whether it's the city, the suburbs, or somewhere else, have you ever stopped to think about why place where you live is designed the way that it is? That's thanks to urban planners, of which our guest this episode - Angela Lei - is! Join Angela, Sam, and Sarah as they discuss what urban planners and engineers do in terms of zoning, considerations made for pedestrians, and a little bit of history around Boston's Chinatown. Links: Our Website: https://interactomemedia.wixsite.com/website Twitter: https://twitter.com/theinteractome  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interactome_media/ Mastodon: @interactome@universeodon.com Credits: Audio/Video Editing: Sam Pickell Artwork: Maia Reyes Intro/Outro Music: Geovane Bruno - Dancing In The Future Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:20 Meet Angela! 3:51 What is Urban Planning/Engineering? 8:53 Exurbs 14:37 Zoning 21:51 Transit Oriented Development (TOD) 30:47 Urban Planning's Impact on the Environment 33:48 Boston's Chinatown 40:46 Defining Borders and Splitting Land 43:37 Pedestrianism and Climate Resiliency 45:38 What Can You do to Impact Urban Planning in Your City 47:00 The Inner Belt and the Highway That Never Was 59:34 Redesigning a City Built for Cars 1:13:20 Outro

One question that always seems to crop up among wishful sporting hopefuls is: what would be the easiest sport in which to become an elite athlete. Some believe darts might be the most straightforward. However, one could argue that resurrecting the archaic sport of ‘pedestrianism' could provide the answer to this question. But how did this sport begin? Cameron Hill from Off The Ball tells us all.

Sam Pasternack (@sampasternack) has written a novel (“Walker” – out everywhere) about a sport from the 1800s and we talk about one of the first spectator sports in the US – walking long distances in dress shoes and a top hat. Pedestrianism. And we get silly. You will love. DECEMBER - find a food bank and donate to it!! Google your town and the words "food bank" - next month i'll ask for money for the show. Happy Merry. THERE IS NEW MERCH: BEES TSHIRT and BEANIES. I'm Made of BEES. Are you? www.JackieKashianStore.com is the direct. www.jackiekashian.com and www.dorkforest.com have so many other things.  Extra TDF / standup and a storytelling album are available here: https://thedorkforest.bandcamp.com/   Lots of stuff here: https://www.youtube.com/@JackieKashianInc And it's @jackiekashian on all the social mediaz. Audio and Video by Patrick Brady Music is by Mike Ruekberg #applepodcasts #spotify #amazon #youtube #tiktok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A matter of degrees, Visual clutter, Sentence imagery, Randomized gaming, Pedestrianism, Echolocation education. Jennifer, Angie, Way, and Bradley discuss the curated links for the week of 11/1/2024. Please consider supporting this ad-free content on Patreon.

This episode of the Free Outside Podcast explores the history and rise of 200-mile races, and pedestrianism. I share my personal experience with backpacking and the mental health benefits of outdoor adventures and then delves into the origins of pedestrianism in the 19th century, where competitive walking was a popular sport. We explain how 200-mile running races evolved from the Western States 100 and the Tevis Cup, and highlights notable races such as the Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, Moab 240, and Cocodona 250. I discusses the challenges, camaraderie, and immersive nature of these races, as well as the increasing popularity and high cost of participating in them. Takeaways 200-mile races, or 200s, have gained popularity in the ultrarunning community The origins of 200s can be traced back to pedestrianism in the 19th century Notable 200-mile races include the Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, Moab 240, and Cocodona 250 These races offer challenges, immersive experiences, and a sense of camaraderie Participating in 200s can be expensive due to race fees and logistics Sound Bites "I just got back from a backpacking trip. I just needed to get out." "I got my mental health reset with some backpacking." "Let's dive into the history of pedestrianism, the history of 200s." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Experience 02:20 The History of Pedestrianism and the Origins of 200s 10:46 The Triple Crown of 200s 22:15 Challenges, Camaraderie, and Immersion in 200-Mile Races 25:04 The Increasing Popularity and Cost of Participating in 200s Buy Merch to support: https://www.freeoutside.com/shop Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutsideKeywords200-mile races, history, rise, pedestrianism, Western States 100, Tevis Cup, Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, Cocodona 250, challenges, camaraderie, popularity, cost --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/freeoutside/message

Tales from The Oval, presented by Tom Holland – host of The Rest is History - and Jon Surtees, continues with the story of the founding and establishment of The Oval as one of the world's pre eminent cricket grounds.Find out about the history of cricket on Kennington Common, the founding of The Oval in 1845, how Surrey CCC came to run the ground, the earliest Surrey games played and the Club's first ever County Championship crown.The episode features appearances from numerous Princes of Wales, a family of Otters, the Godfather of The Oval (a chemist from Brixton Hill), the River Effra, a few south London pubs, a smelly reservoir, a noxious market garden, Oscar Wilde and the Marquess of Queensberry!Future episodes will be released every Wednesday, with episode 3 – coming on Wednesday June 4th – telling the story of why The Oval will always be the home of international and the birthplace of the Ashes.Twitter:@surreycricket@holland_tom@JonnySurteesProducer: Will LewisExecutive Producers: Matt Thacker + Jon Surtees

If you can believe it, watching people walk around was once a spectator sport. It was the Gilded Age and there weren't many options for sport entertainment. We'll investigate how the participants in this early sport-ish activity helped inform the more modern practices of performance enhancing substance use as we know them today. We'll touch on cycling and the physiology and medicine behind some of these ways to enhance one's sporting prowess.Sources:Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk was America's Favorite Sport, Matthew Algeo, https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/pedestrianism-products-9781613743973.phpThe Conversation article on Doping in Victorian Times, ​​https://theconversation.com/in-victorian-britain-the-crowds-approved-of-sports-doping-with-cocaine-82225Frank Hart Wikipedia page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Hart_(athlete)Ada Anderson Wikipedia page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_AndersonWikipedia article on Sports Doping, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_sport#HistoryGuardian article on strychnine, https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/jul/21/the-cocktail-of-poison-and-brandy-that-led-to-olympic-gold-strychnine ----- Patreon Page (support the show) -----Submit a Question for Non-Medical Advice Segment (website form with instructions)-----Podcast Linktree (social media links / reviews / ratings)-----DrMqx (follow Dr. Max on Twitch)

Welcome to a brand new podcast from Tom Holland (The Rest is History) and Jon Surtees - Tales from The Oval.Over the course of an eleven episode series, Tom and Jon (editor of Wisden at The Oval) will conclusively demonstrate that The Oval ranks as the most historic sports venue in the world.As well as telling the stories of iconic cricketers who have adorned the ground, from WG Grace to Alf Gover, and from Jack Hobbs to Michael Holding, the podcast will nominate Surrey's greatest ever player, captain and team, and select the greatest ever innings and spell of bowling seen at the Oval.  But it is not all cricket! Tom and Jon will also be exploring how The Oval played a key role in the history of football and rugby; has hosted both American football and Aussie rules; and became the first ground in history to floodlight a sporting extravaganza, when torches were erected to illuminate the incredible Victorian sport of Pedestrianism.There is history too. The podcast ranges from the Middle Ages, when the Black Prince was a regular in Kennington, to the 18th century, when Jacobites and highwaymen were executed opposite what is now the Oval Tube, to the First and Second World Wars, when the ground was requisitioned, and numerous Surrey cricketers distinguished themselves in action.Tom and Jon will also be playing host to an incredible array of guests - among them, the great West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, Test Match Special commentator Daniel Norcross, and former England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent.

By Davy Crockett New Book, containing the early history of The Barkley Marathons Watching sports on Christmas Day is enjoyed by millions of sporting fans. But it also is probably despised by even more of those sporting fans' families who have other priorities on that special day. While today the events watched are primarily basketball and football, back 144 years ago in 1879, the most popular sport taking place in America on Christmas Day was ultra-distance running, called Pedestrianism. Why would thousands leave their festive holiday celebrations to go many miles by horse carriage to smoke-filled arenas to watch skinny guys walk and run in circles for hours? 1914 Christmas match In America, on Christmas Day, the NBA basketball games have become a tradition (more than 75 years) and increasingly NFL football games are being played. What about soccer (football) in Europe? The most famous Christmas Day game took place during World War I in 1914 between British and German soldiers in No Man's Land in Flanders, Belgium. Soccer leagues played on Christmas well into the 1980s before they stopped. Back in 1879, the featured Christmas Day sports event was ultrarunning/pedestrianism. That day, at least four ultramarathons were taking place. The largest six-day race in history, “The Rose Belt.” with 65 starters, held in Madison Square Garden in New York City, in front of thousands of spectators. In Chicago, at McCormick Hall, four pedestrians were competing in another six-day race, more crowded facilities. Probably the most unusual ultramarathon in history was also taking place in the Red Sea aboard the steamer “Duke of Devonshire.” Pedestrianism and Six-Day Races A British long-distance walker, Foster Powell (1734-1793) started a focus on walking/running for six days and is recognized as the “Father of the Six-Day Race.” In 1773, Powell caused a great stir when he walked and ran about 400 miles from London to York and back in less than six days. “Walking” in those very early days was a general term. These pioneer ultrarunners of the late 1700s and early 1800s actually performed a “jog-trot,” or a mixture of walking and running. There was no emphasis yet on “fair heel-toe” walking. Powell established a six-day standard that would be remembered for decades. Nearly all six-day attempts in the decades that followed pointed their efforts to Powell's previous accomplishments. Dozens attempted to match or improve on his feat. By 1779, Powell was the first long-distance runner who was referred to as a “pedestrian” performing the art of “pedestrianism.” That term took hold in England and eventually referenced competitions on foot for all distances, even sprints. Pedestrianism came into the American public eye as Edward Payson Weston (1839-1929) of Providence, Rhode Island, made several attempts in 1874 to walk 500 miles in six days. P. T. Barnum (1810-1891), of circus fame, had the brilliant idea to move such attempts indoors for vast audiences to watch, in his massive Hippodrome in New York City. In 1875, Barnum put on the first six-day race in history, won by Weston with 431 miles. In these races, the winner was the athlete who reached the furthest distance within six days. During the late 1870s, this new reality show of indoor six-day races exploded across America. People of all classes became fascinated by the competition, drama, and human tragedy that could be witnessed during these events. Spectators would usually pay 25 cents per day to enter smoke-filled arenas and city halls to cheer and wager on their favorite runner. In only a few years, pedestrianism became the number one spectator sport in America. Onlookers would watch walkers and runners circle indoor tracks for days, secretly hoping to witness suffering, fainting, and even fistfights like modern-day hockey matches. Indeed, pedestrianism was like the modern-day reality shows that addicts television viewers today,

I read from double ring to doubleton.     The double ring ceremony is a relatively new thing in the Jewish religion/culture. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/double-ring-ceremonies/ https://18doors.org/the_ring_ceremony/     The double stop cello music is played by the extraordinary Jonah Kraut who also made the theme song!     The game Craps has names for all the dice combinations and there are some good ones!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_craps_terms https://www.casino.org/vitalvegas/colorful-nicknames-dice-combinations-craps/     You can be the judge if the words "guard" and "ward" are related etymologically. https://www.etymonline.com/word/guard#etymonline_v_14338 https://www.etymonline.com/word/ward#etymonline_v_4827     The term "double team" from the 1800s seems to be more about a double team of horses for plowing, than sports. https://www.etymonline.com/word/double-team#etymonline_v_37621 But I also found this fascinating sport called "Pedestrianism". Who comes up with these things?!  https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210723-the-strange-19th-century-sport-that-was-cooler-than-football     The Chinese Revolution of 1911 was started on October 10 and lasted just over 4 months. It "led to the establishment of the Republic of China." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Revolution     "doubleton" is definitely about the game Bridge. https://kwbridge.com/eval.htm     The word of the episode is "double standard". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_standard     Theme music from Jonah Kraut https://jonahkraut.bandcamp.com/     Merchandising! https://www.teepublic.com/user/spejampar     "The Dictionary - Letter A" on YouTube   "The Dictionary - Letter B" on YouTube   "The Dictionary - Letter C" on YouTube   "The Dictionary - Letter D" on YouTube     Featured in a Top 10 Dictionary Podcasts list! https://blog.feedspot.com/dictionary_podcasts/     Backwards Talking on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmIujMwEDbgZUexyR90jaTEEVmAYcCzuq     dictionarypod@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/thedictionarypod/ https://twitter.com/dictionarypod https://www.instagram.com/dictionarypod/ https://www.patreon.com/spejampar https://www.tiktok.com/@spejampar 917-727-5757

In today's Sidejog we take a "walk" down memory lane and talk about the most popular sport in the Western World throughout the 1900s - Pedestrianism. Music by The Mountain - 'Funky Burger' (Pixabay) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-trail-runners-experie/message

By Davy Crockett You can read, listen, or watch Read the full story of Frank Hart in my new book: Frank Hart: The First Black Ultrarunning Star In 1879, just twelve years after the Civil War ended, Frank Hart of Boston, Massachusetts, became the first black running superstar in history, and the most famous black athlete in America. In a sense, he was the Jackie Robinson of the sport of ultrarunning in the 19th century, overcoming racial barriers to compete at the highest level in the world, in the extremely popular spectator sport of ultrarunning/pedestrianism. Frank Hart's full story has never been told before. It is an important story to understand, both for the amazing early inclusiveness of the sport, and to understand the cruel racist challenges he and others faced as they tried to compete with fairness and earn the respect of thousands. He was the first black ultrarunner to compete and win against whites in high-profile, mega-mile races. This biography also presents twenty-three years (1879-1902) of the amazing pedestrian era history as experienced by Hart when ultradistance running was the most popular spectator sport in the country. He competed in at least 110 ultras, including eleven in Madison Square Garden, where he set a world record, running 565 miles in six days in front of tens of thousands of spectators and wagerers.  During his running career, he won the equivalent of $3.5 million in today's value. NOTE: This tale must be viewed through the historic lens of nearly 150 years in the past. It will present news article quotes using the words and labels used in that era, that today are now universally viewed as racist, heartless, and offensive. But by stepping back in time, one can appreciate the courage and determination that Frank Hart experienced in a world that at times tried to work against him. Items in quotations are taken directly from newspaper articles of the era.  Also note, this multi-part series is an abridgement of the book, Frank Hart: The First Black Ultrarunning Star. Frank H. Hart (1856-1908) was believed to have been born in Haiti, in 1856. He said his given name was Fred E. Hichborn, although on several legal documents in the years before he started running, and throughout his life, he stated his name was Frank Hart. He said that his parents were Joseph Hart and Elizabeth (Mallory) Hart. It is likely that the Harts adopted him. “Frank Hart” was not just a stage name. Adult School, West End Boston Hart's family immigrated to the west end of Boston, Massachusetts in 1866, after the Civil War ended, while Hart was a boy of about ten years.  Why Boston? Haiti had been experiencing political turmoil and revolts for several years. The West End of Boston at that time was one of the few areas of the country where blacks were allowed to have a political voice. In the years following the civil war, many blacks from the South migrated to Boston. More than 60% of Boston's black population lived in the West End. It would be the future home of the Museum of African American History. As a young man in Boston, during the 1870s, Hart worked as a grocery clerk, teamster, fireman and did “general jobbing,” developing into a talented athlete, and became an American citizen in 1878. He competed as an amateur in single sculling rowing competitions at Silver Lake in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, where he demonstrated “remarkable staying qualities as an oarsman.” Pedestrianism became popular in black communities. In April 1876, John Briscow called “the colored pedestrian” attempted a 50-hour walk without sleep or rest in a billiard saloon, in Washington D.C. He swelled up and had to quit six hours short. In March 1879, a 25-hour race was conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, for all the "colored pedestrians" in the area. Black pedestrians competing against whites was still a rare occurrence. Hart Enters the Sport, Crossing the Racial Barrier Cambridge Street, Boston

Frank Hart rose to fame, popularity and wealth in the 1870 as one of the first African American athletes to break the color barrier as an ultra runner. Davy Crockett, the host of the podcast, "Ultrarunning History" joins us to tell us this amazing story of Frank Heart and the early popularity of pedestrianism. Get the book here. It's a great stocking stuffer! Davy has run over 100 100-mile finishes since starting in 2004.  He is a race director of the Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 in Utah and was recently named Director of the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame. You can learn more about Davy and his many works at Ultrarunninghistory.com  Check out our earlier episode with Davy about the history of EP 556: The History of Ultrarunning If this episode was interesting to you, you might like the episode we did on "Pedestrianism" two years ago.

By Davy Crockett You can read, listen, or watch Steve Brodie The 19th century ultrarunner was a different breed of athlete compared to those today who participate in the sport. A large number of those early runners were not necessarily the most outstanding citizens. For the vast majority, the motivation for participating was not to see what they could personally accomplish running long distances. They were primarily motivated by greed and gaining fame. It should not be too surprising that many were involved in wild free-spending lifestyles, scandals, illegal activities, and run-ins with the law. A pattern emerged for many of the most successful ultrarunners of the 1800s. They would quickly gain fame and build up a massive fortune, only to come crashing down a few years later through their own mismanagement, dishonesty, and huge egos.  Even the most famous pedestrian of all, Edward Payson Weston, blew through his money, filed for bankruptcy, and was criticized for abandoning his family at times. In this episode, the story of seventeen-year-old Steve Brodie of New York City is a case study of one who gained fame and fortune ultrarunning but treated many people terribly along the way and eventually used fraud to revive his fame. The American vernacular term “do a Brodie” meaning taking a bad risk, or experiencing a complete failure/flop, came about because of Steve Brodie, the New York Newsboy Pedestrian. Run Davy Crockett's Pony Express Trail 50 or 100-miler to be held on October 14-15, 2022, on the historic wild west Pony Express Trail in Utah. Run among the wild horses. Crew required. Your family and friends drive along with you. http://ponyexpress100.org/ Stephen Brodie, (1861-1901) “the New York Newsboy,” was the son of Richard and Mary Brodie of New York City. Richard was a member of the Bowery Boys street gang that menaced the city in the Bowery neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. The gang was an anti-Catholic, anti-Irish, and a somewhat criminal gang. The uniform of a Bowery Boy generally consisted of a stovepipe hat, a red shirt, and dark trousers tucked into boots. Richard was murdered shortly after Steve was born in 1861. The Bowery Boys reached the height of their power in 1863 taking part in looting much of New York Citty during the New York Draft Riots. Steve's older brothers were groomed for the gang at a young age. Steve Brodie was the youngest of seven children. Instead of attending school, Steve worked as a child selling newspapers starting at the age of six. His older brothers constantly beat him and took his hard-earned money. At age nine, he moved out of his poverty-stricken home and moved into a boy's home and later went to live in a newsboy lodging house. Newsboy The career was a newsboy was explained, “You had to sell newspapers every day, or else your risked becoming homeless. You fought for street corners and fought to protect your property. Men robbed the boys and older boys robbed the younger boys.” In his late teens, he led his own gang of newsboys.  “He won the friendship of everyone he came in contact. He became acquainted with people of many classes, brokers, capitalists, lawyers, newspaper men, athletes, sporting men, actors, cranks, crooks, bums, and all the various kind of humanity that united to make New York an inexhaustible field for the student of mankind.” Brodie was a strong and daring swimmer who became a member of the Life Saving Corps organized on the East River front. As a youth he was credited for making many rescues including two women who fell of an excursion barge. Brodie's First Ultra In February 1879, at the age of 17, Brodie made his first attempt to break into the sport of Pedestrianism.  The New York Daily Herald took notice.  “Pedestrianism has wrought its way into the favor of the upper circles of newsboydom, as was proven last evening by the commencement of the feat, proposed by Master Stephen Brodie,

Ever get bogged down in big biographies? Maybe you'd prefer Matthew Algeo's microcosm histories, which bring usual and entertaining stories from the past into the present. As a reporter, Matthew filed stories from all over the US and four different continents. His first book, Last Team Standing told the unlikely tale of how the Steelers and Eagles combined during World War II. Matthew went on to recount one president's road trip to see his successor's inauguration in Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure, a journalist's controversial exposé of Grover Cleveland's cancer surgery in The President is a Sick Man, and the time when race walking was America's most popular sport in Pedestrianism. His latest book is All This Marvelous Potential, which recreates Robert Kennedy's 1968 trip to poor Appalachian communities in vivid detail. In this episode, Matthew shares: · How he learned to love deadlines instead of feeling pressured about them · What he looks for when digging for details in his research · Why the book writing process is like doing a puzzle · Which techniques he uses to hone his narratives · How he finds fascinating old stories that deserve their own book Pick up a copy of Matthew's latest book, All This Marvelous Potential, and keep up with his writing on his website, https://www.malgeo.net.

Lindsay and Madison discuss the hilarious history of pedestrianism, as well as how you can gamble on literally anything, that sports doxing has been around a lot longer than we thought, and how competitive walking brought together all “walks” of life. Information pulled from the following sources: 2021 BBC Sports article by Zaria Gorvett 2017 Atlas Obscura article by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie 2016 Atlas Obscura article by Jessie Guy-Ryan 2014 MPR News article by NPR Staff 2014 Ravishly article by Jane Jones Wikipedia (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Go check out Marisa over at the The Victorian Variety Show podcast. This episode is sponsored by Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/EMERGING. Stock up for the summer! Get sunscreen, grilling favorites, & more delivered in as fast as 1 hour + free delivery on your first order of $10+. Terms apply. Become a member on Buy Me A Coffee for as little as $1/month to support the show.  You can write to us at: Ye Olde Crime Podcast, PO Box 341, Wyoming, MN 55092. Join the conversation over at the Cultiv8 Discord and join the Olde Crimers Cubby to chat with us and other listeners of the show. Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Audible, or Goodpods! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How a 10 year old boy from Ballarat became an International sporting sensation in the sport of competitive walking in the late 19th century and then triumphed again, aged 14 as a jockey to win the 1870's Melbourne Cup on a horse called 'Nimblefoot'.

Michael speaks with author Robert Drewe, about his latest book ‘Nimblefoot', the story of Johnny Day - Australia's first international sports hero that no-one has heard of.At 10-years-old the ‘mere child' from Ballarat was a sensation.  Between the ages of nine and 12, Johnny was the star of 19th-century athletic competition ‘Pedestrianism' and won the equivalent of eight million dollars, beating adult sportsmen around the world.At 14 Johnny triumphed again as a jockey, winning the Melbourne Cup on a horse named Nimblefoot.  Then he disappeared without a trace.In his novel ‘Nimblefoot' Robert Drewe, one of Australia's finest writers, tries to imagine what happened next… Nimblefoot (Penguin/Hamish Hamilton) is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode: 3278 Pedestrianism: How an old sport mutated into a new one.  Today, an odd old sporting event lingers on.

Subscribe to the podcast!  https://podfollow.com/everythingeverywhere/ In the United States and Britain in the 19th century, there was a competitive activity that might have been the most popular sport in either country. Tens of thousands of people would show up to witness it live and the top athletes got endorsement deals and had their own trading cards, and tremendous amounts of money was wagered.  However, it wasn't football, baseball, cricket, or boxing.  It was competitive walking.  Learn more about pedestrianism, aka competitive walking, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. -------------------------------- Diversify your portfolio by investing in fine art with Masterworks. Visit https://www.masterworks.io/ -------------------------------- Associate Producers: Peter Bennett & Thor Thomsen   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ Everything Everywhere is an Airwave Media podcast." or "Everything Everywhere is part of the Airwave Media podcast network Please contact sales@advertisecast.com to advertise on Everything Everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By Davy Crockett Daniel O'Leary By March 1875, Edward Payson Weston, from New York City, was on top of the ultrarunning world (called Pedestrianism). He had just won the first six-day race in history, was the only person who had ever walked 500 miles in six days and held the 24-hour world walking record of 115 miles. Through his efforts and the promotion of P.T. Barnum, the sport had been given a rebirth and was on the front pages of newspapers across America. Weston had won hundreds of thousands of dollars in today's value for his exploits and obviously others wanted a piece of this action too. Was Weston one of a kind, or would others succeed in dethroning him? A true rival did emerge from Chicago, an Irishman who worked hard to try to become the best, Daniel O'Leary. Please consider becoming a patron of ultrarunning history. Help to preserve this history by signing up to contribute a few dollars each month through Patreon. Visit https://ultrarunninghistory.com/member Others Try to be Six-Day Kings After his victory in the first six-day race in history, held in P.T. Barnum's New York City Hippodrome, Weston had established himself as the undisputed six-day king. Others attempted to match Weston's 500-mile six-day accomplishment achieved in New Jersey, in December 1874. The press still could not resist taking a poke at Weston. “Samuel Williamson of Milwaukee imitated Weston's attempts to walk 500 miles in six days, and the imitation was so successful that he failed ridiculously.” In April 1875, Allen Brown claimed to walk 500 miles in six days in Nashville, “the first pedestrian who has accomplished the feat without a charge of trickery.” It is very unlikely that this was legitimate. Brown was unknown and was never again mentioned in connection with Pedestrianism. Brown was just a pretender, but a true contender immerged in Chicago, Illinois. Daniel O'Leary Daniel O'Leary (1846-1933) was born in Ireland and as a child lived through terrible years of potato blight, causing horrible starvation and disease. It was said that he began walking very early in life, jumped out of the cradle early, and walked three miles in under an hour while still a toddler. It was written, “This was looked upon as astonishing, considering his size and years, and it was predicted that he would become a great pedestrian.” As a youth he rarely took rides and instead relied on his legs to go from place to place. Under great difficulties, he was able to get a good education in Ireland. "In the village playground, amongst his classmates, he showed quite a preeminence in athletic sports, while he was yet in his teens.  He was the ringleader of all the boys in the locality and was a favorite." During his late teens he worked hard for two years in the interest of Ireland with all his energy and when free, fled the taxation coming. In 1865, at the age of nineteen, like so many other Irish, he immigrated to America. He could not find work in New York City, so he settled in Chicago, worked in a lumber yard and sold books door-to-door. He built up his endurance from speed walking his routes. It was said that when he tried to sell books to people, that many told him to “take a walk,” so he did. O'Leary Takes up Long-Distance Walking Chicago In 1874, O'Leary was a tailor and toymaker in the heart of Chicago. He overheard a group discussing Weston's walking exploits, including his attempts to walk 500 miles in six days. One person said that only a Yankee could accomplish the feat. Another commented that Weston was planning on going to Europe. O'Leary said, “If he dropped into Ireland on the way he'd get beaten so bad that he'd never again call himself a walker.” Everyone laughed at him. He finally said that he thought he could beat Weston. They then roared with laughter. O'Leary's First 100-mile Walk O'Leary wanted to prove that an Irishman could be a successful distance walker.

The show goes way back for an Extra, Extra that makes a very modern point: that what we love about sports is more simple than most of us — including the show's new caller, Geoff from Austin — recognize. Plus, Kate and Jess break down ESPN's breakdown of them, and the Calm Meditation App for Coaches runs its inaugural ad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The show goes way back for an Extra, Extra that makes a very modern point: that what we love about sports is more simple than most of us — including the show's new caller, Geoff from Austin — recognize. Plus, Kate and Jess break down ESPN's breakdown of them, and the Calm Meditation App for Coaches runs its inaugural ad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our listeners have been nice this year so Santa has told us to give you all a gift! Brody Karn, Esq. teaches us about one of the most intriguing fads of the 19th Century: Pedestrianism. There is a doping scandal, cheating accusations, Walkers becoming the faces of trading cards, ethnic turf walking wars, women breaking the glass ceiling of athleticism, and so much more! Plus, Nathan Lane stars in.......everything! This episode is part of our Patreon only episode library so if you like this one then head over there, become a Patron, and get more exclusive episodes! If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon    TEAM: Ray Hebel Robert W Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heel-toe it over to the campfire with us, campers! Today we are learning about Wojtek the bear soldier and competitive (if somewhat mild) sport of Pedestrianism.

Amazon link to the book Pedestrianism by Matthew Algeo https://www.amazon.com/Pedestrianism-Watching-Americas-Favorite-Spectator/dp/161373882X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pedestrianism+book&qid=1632349414&sr=8-1 Join us on Twitter @athleticobscura  Send us an email- athleteticobscura@gmail.com Buy us a coffee (Or some Pizza): www.buymeacoffee.com/AthleticObscura Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C'est le sport le plus cool et le plus suivi à la fin du 19e siècle ! Adhérez à cette chaîne pour obtenir des avantages : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN4TCCaX-gqBNkrUqXdgGRA/join Pour soutenir financièrement la chaîne, trois choix: 1. Cliquez sur le bouton « Adhérer » sous la vidéo. 2. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hndl 3. UTip: https://utip.io/lhistoirenousledira Avec: Laurent Turcot, professeur en histoire à l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada Abonnez-vous à ma chaine: https://www.youtube.com/c/LHistoirenousledira Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/histoirenousledira Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurentturcot Les vidéos sont utilisées à des fins éducatives selon l'article 107 du Copyright Act de 1976 sur le Fair-Use. Pour aller plus loin: Matthew Algeo, Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport, Chicago, Chicago Review Press, 2014. John A. Lucas, « Pedestrianism and the struggle for the Sir John Astley Belt, 1878-1879 », Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Vol. 39, 1968, p. 587-594. Dahn Shaulis, « Pedestriennes: Newsworthy but Controversial Women in Sporting Entertainment », Journal of Sport History, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Spring 1999), pp. 29-50 Jim Reisler, Walk of Ages: Edward Payson Weston's Extraordinary 1909 Trek Across America, University of Nebraska Press, 2015. Ari de Wilde, « Six‐day racing entrepreneurs and the emergence of the twentieth century arena sportscape, 1891‐1912 », Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 4, no 4, 2012, p. 532-553. Greg Salvesen, « Six-day footraces in the post-pedestrianism era », Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, 2019. In The 1870s And '80s, Being A Pedestrian Was Anything But https://www.npr.org/2014/04/03/297327865/in-the-1870s-and-80s-being-a-pedestrian-was-anything-but #histoire #documentaire #sport

Amazon link to the book Pedestrianism by Matthew Algeo Join us on Twitter @athleticobscura  Send us an email- athleteticobscura@gmail.com Buy us a coffee (Or some Pizza): www.buymeacoffee.com/AthleticObscura Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is anger and distress in Britain over Afghanistan and whether enough is being done to help those left behind. Carillo Gantner, arts patron and former cultural attache to the Beijing embassy, says arts and culture could reboot Australia's relationship with China. And the BBC's Zaria Gorvett has been looking into the very long walks of some British eccentrics in the 1800s.

A newspaper copyboy's wager on the outcome of the US presidential election in 1860 sparked a craze for competitive walking. Pedestrianism evolved into a major spectator sport, involving eccentric personalities, epic rivalries and champagne-quaffing contestants who spent six days walking round a sawdust track.

You can find Haley Shapley and her book at haleyshapely.com and follow her on Instagram @haleyshapley.The ladies are kicking off Women's History Month with a very special episode! They had the honor of interviewing author and trainer Haley Shapley about her new book Strong Like Her in which she explores sports herstory from the days of ancient Greece to the present day! Then, Kelley & Emily cover some sporty gals from Haley's book! Kelley covers pedestrian extraordinaire Ada Anderson who walked for nearly a month straight, fueled by oysters, cake, and wine. Then, Emily tells the tale of weightlifting pioneer Abbye "Pudgy" Stockton who paved the way for women strength-trainers and strength sports while clad in a scandalous two piece! Grab your barbells and prepare to get swol because it's time to wine about sports herstory!** Mornings with u by Barradeen | https://soundcloud.com/barradeenMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unportedhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winingaboutherstory/overview)

The pleasures of a pedestrian. Nicholson, Geoff. The Lost Art of Walking: The History, Science, and Literature of Pedestrianism. Riverhead Books, the Penguin Group, 2008. As a minimalist lifestyle coach and professional organizer, I'd love to help you build a more mindful and peaceful lifestyle. Please visit me at whylessequalsmore.com to access free resources and learn more about my services.

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

By Davy Crockett  For some reason, many of today’s ultrarunners think that ultrarunning was invented during their lifetime. An article appeared in April 2020 Ultrarunning Magazine that stated, “the format that most of us know as ‘ultrarunning’ today (trail and road races, typically 50k to 100 miles) is barely 50 year old.” Such statements are ignorant of the rich history of the past and the ultrarunners who paved the way, running ultradistances on dirt roads and trails. Also in April 2020, Runners World published an article proclaiming falsely that the first 100-mile ultra was held in 1974. This is part 4 of a rich 100-miler history prior to  World War I, an era when more than 500 ultrarunners finished 100 miles in less than 24 hours in races or in solo attempts. If you missed the other parts, start with Part 1. Ultarunning and the 100-miler face extinction Madison Square Garden II During the late 1800s, for only about seven years, 100-milers and Pedestrian six-day races were held indoors, when they were a unique spectator and gambling sport until about 1882. 100-mile races and even solo attempts disappeared nearly entirely for the next 15 years.  In 1889 the home of Pedestrianism, the original Hippodrome, Madison Square Garden was demolished. It had become a “patched-up, grimy, drafty, combustible old shell.” A new Madison Square Garden arena was constructed on the site and opened its doors to the golden era of multi-day bicycle races. From 1898-1903 multi-day running races made a brief come-back, mostly in Pennsylvania, and many new ultrarunners achieved 100 miles in less than 24 hours during various fixed-time races and wagers. 1900 Bike race in Madison Square Garden As local laws in America were more widely passed outlawing multi-day running and bike races, indoor 100-milers ceased and the 100-miler faced the threat of extinction again. In the former heart of 19th century ultrarunning, New York City, it was written, “These protracted tests of physical endurance serve no good purpose. They prove nothing beyond the fact that some men can force themselves to harmful exertion even when every fiber of their physical being is in active revolt.” But a flicker of life still remained in America. Starting in 1905 the 100-miler reemerged into the outdoors on the dirt roads in Illinois, thanks to some legendary marathon runners from Chicago who sought to attain the 100-mile distance. The 1906 mountain trail 100-miler However, there was a place in the world where ultra-distance running never took a vacation. Running 100 miles or more was ingrained into the culture of the Tarahumara, a civilization of about 30,000 people who seemingly were untouched by the modern world. They lived in Mexico, in the northern portion of the Mexican Sierra Madres. In the early 1900s, American railroad contractors, who were building a mining railroad to the Tarahumara village of Bocoyna, were spellbound with the running exploits of the people who lived in the canyons. The workers amused themselves by wagering large sums of money on long-distance running races. William Deming Hornaday A historic 1906 race was held from Bocoyna to Minaca and back, about 110 miles on “exceedingly rough” trails over the mountains. William Demming Hornaday (1868-1942), an American journalist, and the publicity director for the National Railways of Mexico, was there to watch this race and reported that the Americans collected a purse of $100 for the winner. “Great interest was manifested in the race, for the sum offered was quite a fortune to the members of the tribe. A council of war was immediately held by the chiefs, and two of the fastest runners were selected to do battle for the prize. The pair were also subjected to a close inspection by the Americans, who wagered large sums on the result.” On the day of this historic mountain trail ultramarathon, the two Tarahumara set off running through the rugged mountains.

By Davy Crockett  Contrary to popular misinformed opinion, 100-mile races did not originate in California, with the Western States 100 in 1978. One hundred years before, by the end of 1878, more than 200 successful 100-mile finishes had taken place in the 19th century, most of them with times under 24-hours, on dirt roads, trails, and indoor tracks. Part 1 and Part 2 of this 100-mile series covered the stories of remarkable long-forgotten ultrarunning pioneers. By 1879, a remarkable shift started to take place. The most elite professional 100-mile walkers and runners became focused on competing in indoor six-day races for huge prizes and fame. That year more amateurs entered the sport and attempted to run or walk 100 miles for wagers or for nothing at all. More of the general public started to hit the roads and tracks trying to achieve ultra-distances on foot. The newspapers called this obsession “walking match fever,” “tramp fever” or “pedestrian mania.” A Pennsylvania newspaper reported, "One of the most absurd manias that has recently afflicted humanity is the pedestrian craze which at present disturbs the mental balance of several cities in the interior of this state. The pedestrian craze infects lawyers, tradesmen and physicians. Half the population walk habitually on a dog-trot, and the police are instructed to see that amateur matches on the public streets do not interfere with the transaction of business. To what purpose is this waste of energy and enthusiasm?" A Kansas newspaper wisely observed, "This is a great country for crazes. They sweep over the country like cyclones. Whence they come and whither they go, man knoweth not. Recently, the entire country was in the throes of the pedestrian craze. In every city, town and village athletes were wearily tramping around and around a sawdust circle, while thousands of spectators applauded the dreary exhibition. The men had had the red necktie craze and recovered from it in time to laugh at the suspender craze. America soon loves her fads to death." It was wondered what craze would come next. "How would it do to inaugurate 'standing on your head' matches as the next? They would certainly draw, and the man who will first stand on his head for a thousand consecutive hours will go down to posterity, and be remembered to the remotest generation." Ultrarunning historian Andy Milroy commented, “Dan O’Leary’s 1877 and 1878 six-day wins in London created a huge stir in the US. It inspired ordinary people to undertake Pedestrianism. Most could not afford the time to tackle a six-day, or even a 50-miler. That was beyond them. So, they became fixed on the 25 mile distance. There was an explosion of such events, newspapers wrote of a plague of such events gradually spreading out from New York.” For the successful ultrarunners of the time, the financial impact on their lives was significant. There has never been an era in ultrarunning when being a professional impacted so many runners and brought in so much money. The amount that was successfully won in one race could be the equivalent of a lifetime's earnings. Managing that wealth was another challenge. Edward Payson Weston won an enormous amount of money during this era but lived a lifestyle where he spent more than he brought in. He missed some key international events because he had to deal with legal troubles involving his finances. All this potential wealth also attracted greed and the potential for fraud. This article will include stories of that side of the sport. 1879: 100-mile craze continues In 1879, many daring new-comers sought for attention by trying the 100-mile distance either in races (matches) or in solo attempts. More than fifty successful 100-mile finishes that were found in the newspapers for 1879 and there were likely many more that weren’t reported. Numerous races were announced in papers to stir up attendance for the event, but often the results were not published.

By Davy Crockett  In 1873, Jules Verne published his classic adventure novel, Around the World in 80 Days, which captivated imaginations of the possibility of traveling around the world in a given time and the wonders that could be seen. Also at that time, Pedestrianism, competitive walking, was in its heyday. Starting in 1875 individuals began to discuss if it would be possible to somehow walk around the world. Wagers were made and attempts began. They had no true idea how far it was or how long it would take. It wouldn’t be until more than 100 years later that some guidelines would be established for those who truly wished to walk around the world. Yes, such an activity was real and still is today. How far is it to walk around the world? Today the World Runners Association has set a standard that it must be at least 16,308 miles. Early pedestrians were estimating that it would be between 14,000-18,000 miles. Today the fastest known recognized time is 434 days returning to the point of origin. It all started in earnest around 1875. During that year, circumnavigation ultrawalkers emerged along along with frauds who fooled the public to win wagers and made a living off giving lectures about their "walk." Most American transcontinental walks of the 1800s involved fraud and fabrication. Some examples are covered in: "Dakota Bob - Transcontinental Walker." The same was true for most early attempts to circle the globe on foot, but their tales are still fascinating. This multi-part article will share the stories and make some corrections on false claims that have been published in many books. Corporal Lediard - 1786 The earliest known attempt was made more than 230 years ago. During the winter of 1786-87 an English marine corporal named Lediard, an American by birth, started from London with the plan of walking around the globe, or going as far as possible. He planned to cross Europe and Asia, and then be ferried across the Bering Straight to North America, continue to New York and return to England. A sum of $250 was raised for him and he started out. He walked to Hamburg Germany, to St. Petersburg, Russia, and continued into Siberia as far as the city of Yakutsk where he stopped for the winter of 1787-88. But in January 1788, he was arrested by the order of the Empress of Russia. "In half an hour's time, he was carried away under the guard of two soldiers and an officer, in a post sledge (sled) for Moscow, without his clothes, money, and papers and then taken back to St. Petersburg." He was expelled from Russian, sent to Poland with orders not to return to Russia, and thus his walk around the world was foiled. "During all this time, he suffered the greatest hardships, from sickness, fatigue and want of rest, so that he was almost reduced to a skeleton. He said it had been a miserable journey but was very disappointed to not achieve his daring enterprise." Christian Frederick Schaefer - 1866 Christian Frederick Schaefer was a German who spent much of his entire life traveling. In 1866, about the age of 30, he said that he had been traveling the world for the previous 15 years.  He reached Kansas and it was reported, "He has visited nearly all countries in Europe, Asia and Africa and is now en route to the Pacific coast. He estimates that he has traveled over 68,000 miles on foot. He has passports in fifteen different languages and his autograph book contains recommendations and signatures of a large number of the most distinguished men in this country and in Europe. He is a small man and has been suffering since his birth with a deformity of the spine. But he has unbounded energy and perseverance, is thoroughly impressed with the idea of making a tour around the world, and will succeed." His autographs included Andrew Johnson, Ulysses M. Grant, and Brigham Young. After crossing America he claimed to go across China and to Singapore. It 1867 he made it to Australia. In 1882,

This week Matt concludes the history of watching people walk as a sporting event, entertainment’s equivalent of eating Corn Flakes to avoid masturbating. We see gender and color barriers get shattered in the sport and old heroes fall and resurrected. John freaks out for a minute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Matt takes us to the 1800's and shows us the sport of Pedestrianism, where as many as 80,000 people would crowd around to see men and women walk hundreds of miles around a roller rink. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By Davy Crockett  Both a podcast episode and a full article After the golden age of Pedestrianism of the late 1800's, a new breed of ultra-distance runners emerged in the early 1900s. Events were few. The world wars and the great depression all but snuffed out their efforts to continue to go the distance, to demonstrate what was possible. It became impossible to try to make a living with their legs. In America, only the most determined runner emerged out of the strife of the 1930s and 1940s to continue their craft into the post-war modern era of ultrarunning. One of these athletes was Alvin "Mote" Bergman. In 1896 the first marathon was competed in the inaugural Olympic Games at Athens, Greece. The idea was quickly adopted elsewhere and the Boston Marathon soon was established. Other marathons followed and competing at that distance grew in attention. But there were only a small number of runners competing at longer distances such as 50 miles and 100 miles.  The Trans-America races "Bunion Derbies" of 1928-29 did gather together talented runners, but soon America turned their attention to just surviving during the depression. Without very many ultra-distance professional events to compete in, some of these early ultrarunners used their marketing creativity to transition to "solo artists." Mote Bergman would eventually take this road in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and would become known as "the wizard of the colossal art of walking,” and the “world champion birthday walker,” He was one of the very few American ultrarunners who kept up ultrarunning through the Great Depression, through the World War II years, and went on to span into the modern era. He was likely the first American to walk or run a sub-24-hour 100-miler in the post-war modern era of ultrarunning. Early Running/Walking Career Alvin Floyd Bergman (Bergmann) was born in Virginia on May 14, 1887 weighing only four pounds. His father was a carpenter and his grandparents came from Germany. He was frail as a child and started walking for exercise when he was ten years old.  His family moved to Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, a small town on the Ohio River outside of Pittsburgh. In 1900, at the age of 13, he began long distance walks to build himself up physically. He had read a story about the walking champion, Edward Payson Weston, who advised people seeking good health to “walk, walk, walk.” That year he started a very long string of his birthday walks, matching miles to his age. Those birthday walks were eventually featured in Ripley’s “Believe it or Not” column and Mote would keep them going until he was 80 years old. He wasn’t a powerful looking man, only 145 pounds and 5 ½ feet tall. His nickname “Mote” was derived from his small stature. Mote became a barber, also turned into a professional runner in 1909, and participated in some running races. That year he ran a "marathon" of about 36 miles, near Pittsburgh, in a bad snowstorm and finished in 5:25. Late that year he also participated in a 72-hour "go as you please" race. Mote in 1909 Walking from his hometown in Pennsylvania to many major cities in the East became a lifetime activity in the summer during his vacation time. In 1914 at the age of 27, Mote set off on a 300 mile walk from his home in Leetsdale to Huntington, West Virginia, a distance of about 300 miles. He expected it to take eight days.  For the first day, his birthday, he walked 27 miles to celebrate. His various walks received newspaper attention and he said he believed he could break the "world's record of 121 miles without a stop." In 1915 at the age of 28, he achieved his most proud accomplishment. He walked from Pittsburgh to Chicago, a distance of about 503 miles in an incredible six days, 23:45, believed to be a “world record” at that time. During that trip he walked with pedestrian legends, Dan O’Leary of Chicago and Edward Payson Weston of New York. Old Soldier Barnes

Michael reports on the slo-mo, low octane, champagne fueled, contest of endurance that captured our imaginations before excitement was invented.

Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds examine pedestrianism, the sport of walking. SOURCESTOUR DATES REDBUBBLE MERCH

Host: John J. Russell, MD In the late 19th century, America’s most popular spectator sport drew thousands of fans, created celebirty athletes, endured scandals for performance-enhancing drugs, and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. But this sport wasn’t baseball, boxing, or horseracing—it was competitive walking. Dr. John Russell speaks with Matthew Algeo, author of Pedestrianism, about competitive walking’s peculiar appeal and popularity, its rapid demise, and its enduring influence in American spectator sports.

Host: John J. Russell, MD In the late 19th century, America’s most popular spectator sport drew thousands of fans, created celebirty athletes, endured scandals for performance-enhancing drugs, and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. But this sport wasn’t baseball, boxing, or horseracing—it was competitive walking. Dr. John Russell speaks with Matthew Algeo, author of Pedestrianism, about competitive walking’s peculiar appeal and popularity, its rapid demise, and its enduring influence in American spectator sports.

Host: John J. Russell, MD In the late 19th century, America’s most popular spectator sport drew thousands of fans, created celebirty athletes, endured scandals for performance-enhancing drugs, and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. But this sport wasn’t baseball, boxing, or horseracing—it was competitive walking. Dr. John Russell speaks with Matthew Algeo, author of Pedestrianism, about competitive walking’s peculiar appeal and popularity, its rapid demise, and its enduring influence in American spectator sports.

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An interview with Matthew Algeo, author of Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press). In this interview, Mr. Algeo recounts the origins of epic multi-day, nonstop footraces that captured the public imagination in 19th century Great Britain and the United States. Subscribe in a reader