| Track and field is one of the most popular events of | | | | Greek games in some form. France's L'Olympiade de |
| the Olympics. Every year, old records are broken and | | | | la Republique featured a number of ancient sports, |
| new narratives emerge in this exciting and ever | | | | with foot running featured prominently among the |
| changing sport. What is the history of running track? It | | | | competition. The metric system was first used at |
| is a long story dating back to the athletic competitions | | | | these games to measure and record times, another |
| of ancient Greece. | | | | milestone in the history of running. |
| An Ancient Sport | | | | Running became more popular throughout the |
| Running goes back to ancient Greece, where foot | | | | nineteenth century as physical fitness was gradually |
| racing was the one and only event in the original | | | | recognized as the key to health and strength. Schools |
| Olympics. In addition to the Olympic Games, the | | | | began including exercise and competitive sports |
| Pan-Hellenic Games allowed runners to compete at | | | | among their classes, creating generation of young |
| regular intervals. The Roman Games of the same era | | | | athletes capable of competing in track and field. |
| included running, but focused more on wrestling and | | | | The Modern Sport |
| combat. As far away as Ireland, ancient Europeans | | | | Running was one of the original sports in the 1896 |
| competed in foot races in the Tailteann Games. The | | | | Olympic Games. Although women were excluded until |
| ability to run was considered a necessary talent in | | | | 1928, they quickly took a prominent position in the sport. |
| ancient times, especially for warriors. | | | | The sport evolved to its current self, with most |
| The Middle Ages | | | | activities taking place on a 400 meter oval track. A |
| Track continued to be a competitive sport throughout | | | | person who runs track in modern times can choose |
| the Middle Ages. In Europe, noble families trained their | | | | from any number of events, including sprints, hurdles, |
| sons in a variety of athletic skills to enhance their | | | | middle and long distance races, and relays. Each event |
| combat abilities. Running was just one of many sports | | | | has a unique set of ideal characteristics, making running |
| that were featured in competitions of this era. | | | | track one of the most diverse and inclusive sports on |
| However, the use of horse mounted troops instead of | | | | the planet. |
| foot soldiers in war took the emphasis off personal | | | | Although the history of running track is long and |
| speed, instead focusing interest on horsemanship and | | | | includes contributions from a variety of cultures, it is by |
| weapon skills. | | | | no means complete. As new athletes emerge with |
| The Olympics Revived | | | | every generation and new technologies improve the |
| In the late eighteenth century, the long and illustrious | | | | sport, the history is being written every time runners |
| history of running track and other field sports was | | | | step onto the field. |
| recognized, along with the need to revive the traditional | | | | |