Running is the means of locomotion that allows humans and animals to move quickly on foot. It was once the only means of transportation used by humans to race across the earth to reach a destination. As the story goes, Pheidippides, a Greek soldier ran into the Battle of Marathon in Athens to carry a message of victory in 490 BC, dying shortly after shouting the Greek word for victory: "Niki!" (“Run the Original History Course,” 2013). Pheidippides' 24.85-mile run inspired the creation of the marathon which was introduced at the 1896 Athens Olympic Games as a popular event; an additional 2 miles were added to the course of the 1908 London Olympic Games so that runners could finish in front of the Royal Family's viewing gallery ("Run the Original Historical Course", 2013). Long-distance running has since developed into a craze that remains unshakable into the 21st century. People of all ages and backgrounds now participate in long distance running, which typically ranges from the mile, 1600 meters, to the 26.2 mile, 40,000 meter marathon, making it a very popular activity (Liberman 193-205). The evolution of footwear: Before the advent of running shoes, humans ran mostly barefoot; however, some ran in sandals or moccasins if such luxury was available (Lieberman). Running barefoot has allowed humans to develop stronger feet and a much lower tendency to develop knee injuries (McDougall 56). Prototypes of modern running shoes did not appear until 1895 and initially began as very thin-soled shoes, known as athletic shoes, that did not include shock-absorbing support until the 1970s (Rettner). The beginning of the modern running craze was largely due to the creation of modern running shoes by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, which were introduced...... middle of paper ......able to easily reach long distances without the need for shoes (Lieberman) . Kenyans experience the same experience as the Tarahurma Indian tribes while running barefoot. Neither is a shod runner and both rarely suffer from chronic foot injuries. The invention of the running shoe may turn out to be the worst thing to ever happen to the running community (Hart). Ultimately, if you are not suffering from pain or injury, there is no need to convert to barefoot running (Kelso). Depending on the makeup of the runner and personal biomechanics, the transition from running in shoes to running barefoot should only be made to correct one's gait (Liberman 79). The important factor for both barefoot and shod runners is that the runner is light on his feet and that the impact of the collision is focused on hitting the midsole which reduces injury (Kelso).